Combination of anti-ctla4 antibody with dasatinib for the treatment of proliferative diseases

ABSTRACT

Compositions and methods are disclosed which are useful of the treatment and prevention of proliferative disorders.

This application claims benefit to provisional application U.S. Ser. No.61/085,466, filed Aug. 1, 2008; and to provisional application U.S. Ser.No. 61/226,910, filed Jul. 20, 2009; under 35 U.S.C. 119(e). The entireteachings of the referenced applications are incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the fields of oncology and improved therapyregimens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The National Cancer Institute has estimated that in the United Statesalone, 1 in 3 people will be struck with cancer during their lifetime.Moreover, approximately 50% to 60% of people contracting cancer willeventually succumb to the disease. The widespread occurrence of thisdisease underscores the need for improved anticancer regimens for thetreatment of malignancy.

Due to the wide variety of cancers presently observed, numerousanticancer agents have been developed to destroy cancer within the body.These compounds are administered to cancer patients with the objectiveof destroying or otherwise inhibiting the growth of malignant cellswhile leaving normal, healthy cells undisturbed. Anticancer agents havebeen classified based upon their mechanism of action.

One type of chemotherapeutic is referred to as a metal coordinationcomplex. It is believed this type of chemotherapeutic formspredominantly interstrand DNA cross links in the nuclei of cells,thereby preventing cellular replication. As a result, tumor growth isinitially repressed, and then reversed. Another type of chemotherapeuticis referred to as an alkylating agent. These compounds function byinserting foreign compositions or molecules into the DNA of dividingcancer cells. As a result of these foreign moieties, the normalfunctions of cancer cells are disrupted and proliferation is prevented.Another type of chemotherapeutic is an antineoplastic agent. This typeof agent prevents, kills, or blocks the growth and spread of cancercells. Still other types of anticancer agents include nonsteroidalaromastase inhibitors, bifunctional alkylating agents, etc.

Chemoimmunotherapy, the combination of chemotherapeutic andimmunotherapeutic agents, is a novel approach for the treatment ofcancer which combines the effects of agents that directly attack tumorcells producing tumor cell necrosis or apoptosis, and agents thatmodulate host immune responses to the tumor. Chemotherapeutic agentscould enhance the effect of immunotherapy by generating tumor antigensto be presented by antigen-presenting cells creating a “polyvalent”tumor cell vaccine, and by distorting the tumor architecture, thusfacilitating the penetration of the immunotherapeutic agents as well asthe expanded immune population.

Ipilimumab is a human anti-human CTLA-4 antibody which blocks thebinding of CTLA-4 to CD80 and CD86 expressed on antigen presenting cellsand thereby, blocking the negative downregulation of the immuneresponses elicited by the interaction of these molecules. Sinceipilimumab does not recognize mouse CTLA-4, an anti-mouse CTLA-4antibody (clone UC10-4F10) was used in the studies presented here toinvestigate the effect of CTLA-4 blockade with chemotherapeutic agents.

Dasatinib (SPRYCEL®) is commonly used for the treatment of many types ofcancer and represent an attractive class of agents to combine withCTLA-4 blockade.

Microtubule-stabilizing agents, such as ixabepilone (IXEMPRA™) andpaclitaxel (TAXOL®), are commonly used for the treatment of many typesof cancer and represent an attractive class of agents to combine withCTLA-4 blockade.

Nucleoside analogues, such as gemcitabine, are also commonly used forthe treatment of many types of cancers. Gemcitabine is an antimetabolitenucleoside analogue (2′,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine) that becomes activeafter intracellular phosphorylation by deoxycytidine kinase as only itsdi- and tri-phosphate forms possess cytotoxic activity. Specifically,the triphosphate form competes with deoxycytidine triphosphate forincorporation into DNA as an inactive base, and the diphosphate forminhibits ribonucleotide reductase, an enzyme that is essential fornormal DNA synthesis.

Gemcitabine has been studied in a wide variety of malignancies, both assingle agent and in combination with other cytotoxic drugs. Moreover itis approved in many countries for the treatment of a variety ofneoplasms in man, including pancreatic, ovarian, non-small cell lung,bladder and breast carcinoma. Its therapeutic use in these tumors isalso supported by a favorable toxicity profile.

Another common mechanism of inhibiting cancer cells is to induce doublestranded DNA breaks. Such DNA breaks specifically kill rapidly dividingcells such as cancer cells. Etoposide is a cancer drug that inducesstrand breaks in cellular DNA by inhibiting topoisomerase II (topoII)religation of cleaved DNA molecules. Although DNA cleavage bytopoisomerase II always produces topoisomerase II-linked DNAdouble-strand breaks (DSBs), the action of etoposide also results insingle-strand breaks (SSBs), since religation of the two strands areindependently inhibited by etoposide.

In the studies described herein, the combination of dasatinib,paclitaxel, etoposide, and gemcitabine individually with a CTLA-4inhibitor were investigated in several tumor models with differentsensitivity to each agent.

The present inventors have discovered for the first time the synergisticbenefit of combining a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such asdasatinib, with an anti-CTLA-4 inhibitor for the treatment ofproliferative diseases. In addition, the present inventors havediscovered for the first time the synergistic benefit of combining amicrotubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel, with an anti-CTLA-4inhibitor for the treatment of proliferative diseases. In addition, thepresent inventors have discovered for the first time the synergisticbenefit of combining a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine, with ananti-CTLA-4 inhibitor for the treatment of proliferative diseases.Furthermore, the present inventors have discovered for the first timethe synergistic benefit of combining a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide, with an anti-CTLA-4 inhibitor for the treatment ofproliferative diseases. It is an object of the invention to provideefficacious combination chemotherapeutic treatment regimens wherein oneor more of the following: a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, amicrotubuline-stabilizing agent, a nucleoside analogue, or a DNA doublestrand inducing agent is combined with one or more anti-CTLA4 agents forthe treatment of proliferative diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a synergistic method for the treatment ofanti-proliferative diseases, including cancer, which comprisesadministering to a mammalian species in need thereof a synergistic,therapeutically effective amount of: (1) a member of the groupconsisting of: a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such as dasatinib, amicrotubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleosideanalogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide; and (2) a co-stimulatory pathway modulator, such asan anti-CTLA4 antagonist.

In one aspect, the proliferative disease is one or more cancerous solidtumors such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, prostatecancer, and/or CML or leukemia. In another aspect, the proliferativedisease is one or more refractory tumors. In yet another aspect, theCTLA-4 antibody is ipilimumab or tremelimumab. In another aspect, theprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitor is SPRYCEL®, GLEEVEC®, or nilotinib.In another aspect, the microtubulin-stabilizing agent is paclitaxel,TAXOL®, epothilone A, epothilone B, epothilone C, epothilone D, orixabepilone. In another aspect, the nucleoside analogue is gembitabine.In another aspect, the DNA double strand inducing agent is etoposide,calicheamicin, bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, sulforaphane, or idarubicin.In another aspect, a nucleoside analogue is gemcitabine, BCH-4556,clofarabine, fludarabine, cladribine, cytarabine, puromycin, andfluorouracil.

Suitable anti-CTLA4 antagonist agents for use in the methods of theinvention, include, without limitation, anti-CTLA4 antibodies, humananti-CTLA4 antibodies, mouse anti-CTLA4 antibodies, mammalian anti-CTLA4antibodies, humanized anti-CTLA4 antibodies, monoclonal anti-CTLA4antibodies, polyclonal anti-CTLA4 antibodies, chimeric anti-CTLA4antibodies, MDX-010 (ipilimumab), tremelimumab, anti-CD28 antibodies,anti-CTLA4 adnectins, anti-CTLA4 domain antibodies, single chainanti-CTLA4 fragments, heavy chain anti-CTLA4 fragments, light chainanti-CTLA4 fragments, inhibitors of CTLA4 that agonize theco-stimulatory pathway, the antibodies disclosed in PCT Publication No.WO 2001/014424, the antibodies disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO2004/035607, the antibodies disclosed in U.S. Publication No.2005/0201994, and the antibodies disclosed in granted European PatentNo. EP 1212422 B1 Additional CTLA-4 antibodies are described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,811,097, 5,855,887, 6,051,227, and 6,984,720; in PCTPublication Nos. WO 01/14424 and WO 00/37504; and in U.S. PublicationNos. 2002/0039581 and 2002/086014. Other anti-CTLA-4 antibodies that canbe used in a method of the present invention include, for example, thosedisclosed in: WO 98/42752; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,682,736 and 6,207,156;Hurwitz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95(17):10067-10071 (1998);Camacho et al., J. Clin. Oncology, 22(145):Abstract No. 2505 (2004)(antibody CP-675206); Mokyr et al., Cancer Res., 58:5301-5304 (1998),and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,977,318, 6,682,736, 7,109,003, and 7,132,281.

Additional anti-CTLA4 antagonists include, but are not limited to, thefollowing: any inhibitor that is capable of disrupting the ability ofCD28 antigen to bind to its cognate ligand, to inhibit the ability ofCTLA4 to bind to its cognate ligand, to augment T cell responses via theco-stimulatory pathway, to disrupt the ability of B7 to bind to CD28and/or CTLA4, to disrupt the ability of B7 to activate theco-stimulatory pathway, to disrupt the ability of CD80 to bind to CD28and/or CTLA4, to disrupt the ability of CD80 to activate theco-stimulatory pathway, to disrupt the ability of CD86 to bind to CD28and/or CTLA4, to disrupt the ability of CD86 to activate theco-stimulatory pathway, and to disrupt the co-stimulatory pathway, ingeneral from being activated. This necessarily includes small moleculeinhibitors of CD28, CD80, CD86, CTLA4, among other members of theco-stimulatory pathway; antibodies directed to CD28, CD80, CD86, CTLA4,among other members of the co-stimulatory pathway; antisense moleculesdirected against CD28, CD80, CD86, CTLA4, among other members of theco-stimulatory pathway; adnectins directed against CD28, CD80, CD86,CTLA4, among other members of the co-stimulatory pathway, RNAiinhibitors (both single and double stranded) of CD28, CD80, CD86, CTLA4,among other members of the co-stimulatory pathway, among otheranti-CTLA4 antagonists.

Each of these references is specifically incorporated herein byreference for purposes of description of CTLA-4 antibodies. A preferredclinical CTLA-4 antibody is human monoclonal antibody 10D1 (alsoreferred to as MDX-010 and ipilimumab and available from Medarex, Inc.,Bloomsbury, N.J.) is disclosed in WO 01/14424.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A-1B illustrates results showing that concurrent treatment withCTLA-4 mAb and dasatinib produced synergistic effects in the SA1Nfibrosarcoma tumor model. Dasatinib was administered daily for 11 days(“A”) or for 15 days following an intermittent schedule (5 days on/2days off) (“B”).

FIG. 2 illustrates results showing that concurrent treatment withdasatinib and CTLA-4 mAb produced synergistic effects in the CT-26 tumormodel.

FIG. 3A-3C illustrates results showing that treatment with dasatinibaugments the cytolytic activity of CTLA-4 mAb. Mice bearing subcutaneousCT26 colon tumors were treated with dasatinib (30 mg/kg, q1dx14, bid,days 4-18 after tumor cell implantation), CTLA-4 mAb (20 mg/kg, q4dx3,days 4, 8, 12 after tumor cell implantation) or the combination of bothagents. Two (A), 7 (B) and 14 (C) days after the final treatment, mice(n=5/group) were injected with CFSE-labeled syngeneic splenocytes pulsedwith CT26-specific peptides (AH-1). Eighteen hours later, splenocyteswere isolated and cytolytic activity was determined by measuring theratio of CFSE-Labeled cells (CFSE high=peptide pulsed, CFSE low=notpulsed). Combination of dasatinib and CTLA-4 showed enhancement ofpeptide-pulsed splenocyte lysis which reached statistical significanceby day 14 (p=0.055).

FIG. 4A-4B illustrates results showing that combinatorial treatment withdasatinib and CTLA-4 mAb results in an increase in the ratio of CD8activated T cells (CD8+CD69+, T effector cells) over A) T regulatorycells (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+, T suppressor cells) and B) Activated CD4+T cellsin tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN). Mice bearing subcutaneous CT26colon tumors were treated with dasatinib (30 mg/kg, q1dx14, bid, days4-18 after tumor cell implantation), CTLA-4 mAb (20 mg/kg, q4dx3, days4, 8, 12 after tumor cell implantation) or the combination of bothagents. TDLN were collected 2 days after the final treatment, andsubjected to immunophenotypic characterization by flow cytometry.

FIG. 5 illustrates that concurrent treatment with SPRYCEL® and CTLA-4mAb produced enhanced effects in a P815 tumor model. SPRYCEL® wasadministered P.O. on days 9-13, 16-20, 23-27 post tumor implantationwhere as anti-CTLA-4 mAb was dosed IP on days 10, 14, 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a synergistic method for the treatment ofanti-proliferative diseases, including cancer, which comprisesadministering to a mammalian species in need thereof a synergistic,therapeutically effective amount of: (1) a member of the groupconsisting of: a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such as dasatinib, amicrotubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleosideanalogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide; and (2) a co-stimulatory pathway modulator, such asan anti-CTLA4 antagonist.

Optimal T cell activation requires interaction between the T cellreceptor and specific antigen (Bretscher, P. et al., Science,169:1042-1049 (1970)) (the first signal) and engagement of costimulatoryreceptors on the surface of the T cell with costimulatory ligandsexpressed by the antigen-presenting cell (APC) (the second signal).Failure of the T cell to receive a second signal can lead to clonalanergy (Schwartz, R. H., Science, 248:1349-1356 (1990)). Two important Tcell costimulatory receptors are CD28 and cytotoxic Tlymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4, CD 152) whose ligands on APCare B7-1 and B7-2 (Linsley, P. S. et al., J. Exp. Med., 173:721-730(1991); Linsley, P. S. et al., J. Exp. Med., 174:561-569 (1991)).Although CD28 and CTLA-4 are closely related members of the Igsuperfamily (Brunet, J. F. et al., Nature, 328:267-270 (1987)), theyfunction antagonistically. CD28 is constitutively expressed on thesurface of T cells (Gross, J. A. et al., J. Immunol., 149:380-388(1992)), and upon engagement with B7-1 or B7-2, enhances the T cellreceptor-peptide-MHC signal to promote T cell activation, proliferation,and IL-2 production (Linsley, P. S. et al., J. Exp. Med., 173:721-730(1991); Alegre, M. L. et al., Nat. Rev. Immunol., 1(3):220-228 (December2001)). CTLA-4 is not found on resting T cells but is up-regulated for2-3 days after T cell activation (Lindsten, T. et al., J. Immunol.,151:3489-3499 (1993); Walunas, T. L. et al., Immunity, 1, 405-413(1994)). CTLA-4 also binds to B7-1 and B7-2 but with greater affinitythan CD28 (Linsley, P. S. et al., Immunity, 1:793-801 (1994)) andantagonizes T cell activation, interferes with IL-2 production and IL-2receptor expression, and interrupts cell cycle progression of activatedT cells (Walunas, T. L. et al., J. Exp. Med., 183:2541-2550 (1996);Krummel, M. F. et al., J. Exp. Med., 183:2533-2540 (1996); Brunner, M.C. et al., J. Immunol., 162:5813-5820 (1999); Greenwald, R. J. et al.,Eur. J. Immunol., 32:366-373 (2002)). The overall T cell response isdetermined by the integration of all signals, stimulatory andinhibitory.

Because CTLA-4 appears to undermine T cell activation, attempts havebeen made to block CTLA-4 activity in murine models of cancerimmunotherapy. In mice implanted with immunogenic tumors, administrationof anti-CTLA-4 Ab enhanced tumor rejection (Leach, D. R. et al.,Science, 271:1734-1736 (1996)), although little effect was seen withpoorly immunogenic tumors such as SM1 mammary carcinoma or B16 melanoma.Enhanced antitumor immunity was seen when anti-CTLA-4 Ab was given withgranulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-transduced B16cell vaccine and was associated with depigmentation, suggesting that atleast part of the antitumor response was antigen-specific against “self”melanocyte differentiation antigens (van Elsas, A. et al., J. Exp. Med.,190:355-366 (1999); van Elsas, A. et al., J. Exp. Med., 194:481-489(2001)). In a transgenic murine model of primary prostate cancer,administrating anti-CTLA-4 Ab plus GM-CSF-expressing prostate cancercells reduced the incidence and histological severity of prostate cancerand led to prostatitis in normal mice, again suggesting anantigen-specific immune response against self-antigens in tumorrejection (Hurwitz, A. A. et al., Cancer Res., 60:2444-2448 (2000)).Furthermore, because many human tumor antigens are normal self-antigens,breaking tolerance against self may be critical to the success of cancerimmunotherapy. The favorable tumor responses from CTLA-4 blockade inconjunction with tumor vaccines in murine models led to interest inusing CTLA-4 blockade in human cancer immunotherapy.

Chemoimmunotherapy, the combination of chemotherapeutic andimmunotherapeutic agents, is a novel approach for the treatment ofcancer which combines the effects of agents that directly attack tumorcells producing tumor cell necrosis or apoptosis, and agents thatmodulate host immune responses to the tumor. Chemotherapeutic agentscould enhance the effect of immunotherapy by generating tumor antigensto be presented by antigen-presenting cells creating a “polyvalent”tumor cell vaccine, and by distorting the tumor architecture, thusfacilitating the penetration of the immunotherapeutic agents as well asthe expanded immune population.

Thus, the present invention provides methods for the administration of aprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitor in synergistic combination(s) with atleast one anti-CTLA4 agent for the treatment of a variety of cancers,including, but not limited to, the following: carcinoma including thatof the bladder (including accelerated and metastatic bladder cancer),breast, colon (including colorectal cancer), kidney, liver, lung(including small and non-small cell lung cancer and lungadenocarcinoma), ovary, prostate, testes, genitourinary tract, lymphaticsystem, rectum, larynx, pancreas (including exocrine pancreaticcarcinoma), esophagus, stomach, gall bladder, cervix, thyroid, and skin(including squamous cell carcinoma); hematopoietic tumors of lymphoidlineage including leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acutelymphoblastic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkinslymphoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, hairy cell lymphoma, histiocyticlymphoma, and Burketts lymphoma; hematopoietic tumors of myeloid lineageincluding acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias, myelodysplasticsyndrome, myeloid leukemia, and promyelocytic leukemia; tumors of thecentral and peripheral nervous system including astrocytoma,neuroblastoma, glioma, and schwannomas; tumors of mesenchymal originincluding fibrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and osteosarcoma; other tumorsincluding melanoma, xenoderma pigmentosum, keratoactanthoma, seminoma,thyroid follicular cancer, and teratocarcinoma; melanoma, unresectablestage III or IV malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small-celllung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioma, gastrointestinalcancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer,endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer,neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, cervicalcancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, coloncarcinoma, and head and neck cancer, gastric cancer, germ cell tumor,bone cancer, bone tumors, adult malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone;childhood malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone, sarcoma, pediatricsarcoma, sinonasal natural killer, neoplasms, plasma cell neoplasm;myelodysplastic syndromes; neuroblastoma; testicular germ cell tumor,intraocular melanoma, myelodysplastic syndromes;myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases, synovial sarcoma, chronicmyeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, philadelphia chromosomepositive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), multiple myeloma, acutemyelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mastocytosis and anysymptom associated with mastocytosis, and any metastasis thereof. Inaddition, disorders include urticaria pigmentosa, mastocytosises such asdiffuse cutaneous mastocytosis, solitary mastocytoma in human, as wellas dog mastocytoma and some rare subtypes like bullous, erythrodermicand teleangiectatic mastocytosis, mastocytosis with an associatedhematological disorder, such as a myeloproliferative or myelodysplasticsyndrome, or acute leukemia, myeloproliferative disorder associated withmastocytosis, mast cell leukemia, in addition to other cancers. Othercancers are also included within the scope of disorders including, butare not limited to, the following: carcinoma, including that of thebladder, urothelial carcinoma, breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung,ovary, pancreas, stomach, cervix, thyroid, testis, particularlytesticular seminomas, and skin; including squamous cell carcinoma;gastrointestinal stromal tumors (“GIST”); hematopoietic tumors oflymphoid lineage, including leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acutelymphoblastic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkinslymphoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, hairy cell lymphoma and Burkettslymphoma; hematopoietic tumors of myeloid lineage, including acute andchronic myelogenous leukemias and promyelocytic leukemia; tumors ofmesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma; othertumors, including melanoma, seminoma, teratocarcinoma, neuroblastoma andglioma; tumors of the central and peripheral nervous system, includingastrocytoma, neuroblastoma, glioma, and schwannomas; tumors ofmesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, andosteosarcoma; and other tumors, including melanoma, xenodermapiginentosum, keratoactanthoma, seminoma, thyroid follicular cancer,teratocarcinoma, chemotherapy refractory non-seminomatous germ-celltumors, and Kaposi's sarcoma, and any metastasis thereof. Preferably,such methods of treating cancer with the treatment regimens of thepresent invention will result in a diminished incidence of anti-CTLAagent-induced colitis.

The combination of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor with at least oneco-stimulatory pathway modulator, preferably an anti-CTLA4 agent, mayalso include the addition of an anti-proliferative cytotoxic agent.Classes of compounds that may be used as anti-proliferative cytotoxicagents include the following:

Alkylating agents (including, without limitation, nitrogen mustards,ethylenimine derivatives, alkyl sulfonates, nitrosoureas and triazenes):Uracil mustard, Chlormethine, Cyclophosphamide (CYTOXAN®), Ifosfamide,Melphalan, Chlorambucil, Pipobroman, Triethylenemelamine,Triethylenethiophosphoramine, Busulfan, Carmustine, Lomustine,Streptozocin, Dacarbazine, and Temozolomide.

Antimetabolites (including, without limitation, folic acid antagonists,pyrimidine analogs, purine analogs and adenosine deaminase inhibitors):Methotrexate, 5-Fluorouracil, Floxuridine, Cytarabine, 6-Mercaptopurine,6-Thioguanine, Fludarabine phosphate, Pentostatine, and Gemcitabine.

For the purposes of the present invention, a co-stimulatory pathwaymodulator encompasses one or more of the following: an anti-CTLA4 agent,an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, ipilimumab, and tremelimumab.

Other co-stimulatory pathway modulators of the present invention thatmay be used in combination with a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor,either alone or in further combination with other co-stimulatory pathwaymodulators disclosed herein, or in combination with other compoundsdisclosed herein include, but are not limited to, the following:agatolimod, belatacept, blinatumomab, CD40 ligand, anti-B7-1 antibody,anti-B7-2 antibody, anti-B7-H4 antibody, AG4263, eritoran, anti-OX40antibody, ISF-154, and SGN-70; B7-1, B7-2, ICAM-1, ICAM-2, ICAM-3, CD48,LFA-3, CD30 ligand, CD40 ligand, heat stable antigen, B7h, OX40 ligand,LIGHT, CD70 and CD24.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a method is provided forthe synergistic treatment of cancerous tumors. Advantageously, thesynergistic method of this invention reduces the development of tumors,reduces tumor burden, or produces tumor regression in a mammalian host.

The combination of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such asdasatinib, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; anucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strandinducing agent, such as etoposide, with at least one anti-CTLA4 agent,may also include the addition of an anti-proliferative cytotoxic agenteither alone or in combination with radiation therapy.

Other anti-proliferative cytotoxic agents are navelbene, CPT-11,anastrazole, letrazole, capecitabine, reloxafine, cyclophosphamide,ifosamide, and droloxafine.

Natural products and their derivatives (for example, vinca alkaloids,antitumor antibiotics, enzymes, lymphokines and epipodophyllotoxins):Vinblastine, Vincristine, Vindesine, Bleomycin, Dactinomycin,Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Idarubicin, Ara-C, paclitaxel(paclitaxel is commercially available as TAXOL®), Mithramycin,Deoxycoformycin, Mitomycin-C, L-Asparaginase, Interferons (especiallyIFN-a), Etoposide, and Teniposide.

Other combinations with the at least one co-stimulatory pathwaymodulator, preferably an anti-CTLA4 agent, may include a combination ofa co-stimulatory pathway agonist (i.e., immunostimulant), a tubulinstabilizing agent (e.g., pacitaxol, epothilone, taxane, etc.), IXEMPRA™,Dacarbazine, PARAPLATIN®, Docetaxel, one or more peptide vaccines,MDX-1379 Melanoma Peptide Vaccine, one or more gp100 peptide vaccine,fowlpox-PSA-TRICOMT™ vaccine, vaccinia-PSA-TRICOMT™ vaccine, MART-1antigen, sargramostim, tremelimumab, Combination Androgen AblativeTherapy; the combination of ipilimumab and another co-stimulatorypathway agonist; combination of ipilimumab and a tubulin stabilizingagent (e.g., pacitaxol, epothilone, taxane, etc.); combination ofipilimumab and IXEMPRA™, the combination of ipilimumab with Dacarbazine,the combination of ipilimumab with PARAPLATIN®, the combination ofipilimumab with Docetaxel, the combination of ipilimumab with one ormore peptide vaccines, the combination of ipilimumab with MDX-1379Melanoma Peptide Vaccine, the combination of ipilimumab with one or moregp100 peptide vaccine, the combination of ipilimumab withfowlpox-PSA-TRICOM™ vaccine, the combination of ipilimumab withvaccinia-PSA-TRICOMT™ vaccine, the combination of ipilimumab with MART-1antigen, the combination of ipilimumab with sargramostim, thecombination of ipilimumab with tremelimumab, and/or the combination ofipilimumab with Combination Androgen Ablative Therapy. The combinationsof the present invention may also be used in conjunction with other wellknown therapies that are selected for their particular usefulnessagainst the condition that is being treated.

The phrase “radiation therapy” includes, but is not limited to, x-raysor gamma rays which are delivered from either an externally appliedsource such as a beam or by implantation of small radioactive sources.

As used in this specification and the appended Claims, the singularforms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a peptide”includes a combination of two or more peptides, and the like.

“About” as used herein when referring to a measurable value such as anamount, a temporal duration, and the like, is meant to encompassvariations of ±20% or ±10%, more preferably ±5%, even more preferably±1%, and still more preferably ±0.1% from the specified value, as suchvariations are appropriate to perform the disclosed methods.

As is known in the art, dasatinib is also referred to asN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand describes a compound having the following structure (I):

Compound (I) can also be referred to asN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-((6-(4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl)-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl)amino)-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxamidein accordance with IUPAC nomenclature. Use of the term“N-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide”encompasses (unless otherwise indicated) solvates (including hydrates)and polymorphic forms of the compound (I) or its salts (such as themonohydrate form of (I) described in U.S. Ser. No. 11/051,208, filedFeb. 4, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and forall purposes). Pharmaceutical compositions ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideinclude all pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprisingN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand one or more diluents, vehicles and/or excipients, such as thosecompositions described in U.S. Ser. No. 11/402,502, filed Apr. 12, 2006,incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.One example of a pharmaceutical composition comprisingN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideis SPRYCEL® (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company). SPRYCEL® comprisesN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideas the active ingredient, also referred to as dasatinib, and as inactiveingredients or excipients, lactose monohydrate, microcrystallinecellulose, croscarmellose sodium, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and magnesiumstearate in a tablet comprising hypromellose, titanium dioxide, andpolyethylene glycol.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particularmethods, reagents, compounds, compositions, or biological systems, whichcan, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminologyused herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only,and is not intended to be limiting.

As is known in the art, Ipilimumab refers to an anti-CTLA-4 antibody,and is a fully human IgG_(1κ) antibody derived from transgenic micehaving human genes encoding heavy and light chains to generate afunctional human repertoire. Ipilimumab can also be referred to by itsCAS Registry No. 477202-00-9, and is disclosed as antibody 10DI in PCTPublication No. WO 01/14424, incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety and for all purposes. Specifically, Ipilimumab describes ahuman monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof thatspecifically binds to CTLA4, comprising a light chain variable regionand a heavy chain variable region having a light chain variable regioncomprised of SEQ ID NO:5, and comprising a heavy chain region comprisedof SEQ ID NO:6. Pharmaceutical compositions of Ipilimumab include allpharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising Ipilimumab and oneor more diluents, vehicles and/or excipients. Examples of apharmaceutical composition comprising Ipilimumab are provided in PCTPublication No. WO 2007/67959. Impilimumab may be administered by I.V.

Light chain variable region for Impilimumab: (SEQ ID NO: 5)EIVLTQSPGTLSLSPGERATLSCRASQSVGSSYLAWYQQKPGQAPRLLIYGAFSRATGIPDRFSGSGSGTDFTLTISRLEPEDFAVYYCQQYGSSP WTFGQGTKVEIKHeavy chain variable region for Impilimumab: (SEQ ID NO: 6)QVQLVESGGGVVQPGRSLRLSCAASGFTFSSYTMHWVRQAPGKGLEWVTFISYDGNNKYYADSVKGRFTISRDNSKNTLYLQMNSLRAEDTAIYYC ARTGWLGPFDYWGQGTLVTVSS

As noted elsewhere herein, the administration of one or more anti-CTLA4antagonists may be administered either alone or in combination with apeptide antigen (e.g., gp100), in addition to an anti-proliferativeagent disclosed herein. A non-limiting example of a peptide antigenwould be a gp100 peptide comprising, or alternatively consisting of, thesequence selected from the group consisting of: IMDQVPFSV (SEQ ID NO:1),and YLEPGPVTV (SEQ ID NO:2). Such a peptide may be administered orally,or preferably by injection s.c. at 1 mg emulsified in incompleteFreund's adjuvant (IFA) injected s.c. in one extremity, and 1 mg ofeither the same or a different peptide emulsified in IFA may be injectedin another extremity.

As is known in the art, paclitaxel refers to a compound having thefollowing structure (II):

Compound (II) can also be referred to as5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with(2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine in accordance with IUPACnomenclature. Use of the term “5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with(2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine” encompasses (unless otherwiseindicated) solvates (including hydrates) and polymorphic forms of thecompound (II) or its salts, such as the forms of (II) described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,504,102, issued Apr. 2, 1996, incorporated herein byreference in its entirety and for all purposes. Pharmaceuticalcompositions of 5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with(2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine include all pharmaceuticallyacceptable compositions comprising 5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate13-ester with (2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine and one or morediluents, vehicles and/or excipients. One example of a pharmaceuticalcomposition comprising5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with(2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine is TAXOL® (Bristol-Myers SquibbCompany). TAXOL® comprises 5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with(2R,3S)—N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine as the active ingredient, alsoreferred to as paclitaxel, for IV infusion including inactiveingredients in the form of a diluent consisting of a sterile 0.9% SodiumChloride injection, USP, 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, 0.9% SodiumChloride and 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, or 5% Dextrose in Ringer'sInjection to a final concentration of 0.3 to 1.2 mg/ml.

As is known in the art, gemcitabine refers to a compound having thefollowing structure (III):

Compound (III) can also be referred to as2′-deoxy-2′,2′-difluorocytidine monohydrochloride (β-isomer) inaccordance with IUPAC nomenclature. Use of the term“2′-deoxy-2′,2′-difluorocytidine monohydrochloride (β-isomer)”encompasses (unless otherwise indicated) solvates (including hydrates)and polymorphic forms of the compound (III) or its salts. Pharmaceuticalcompositions of 2′-deoxy-2′,2′-difluorocytidine monohydrochloride(β-isomer) and one or more diluents, vehicles and/or excipients. Oneexample of a pharmaceutical composition comprising2′-deoxy-2,2′-difluorocytidine monohydrochloride (β-isomer) is GEMZAR®(gemcitabine HCl). GEMZAR® comprises 2′-deoxy-2′,2′-difluorocytidinemonohydrochloride (β-isomer) as the active ingredient, for IV infusionincluding inactive ingredients in a sterile form for intravenous useonly. Vials of GEMZAR® contain either 200 mg or 1 g of gemcitabine HCl(expressed as free base) formulated with mannitol (200 mg or 1 g,respectively) and sodium acetate (12.5 mg or 62.5 mg, respectively) as asterile lyophilized powder. Hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxidemay have been added for pH adjustment.

As is known in the art, etoposide refers to a compound having thefollowing structure (IV):

Compound (IV) can also be referred to as 4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O—(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate)in accordance with IUPAC nomenclature. Use of the term“4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O—(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate)”encompasses (unless otherwise indicated) solvates (including hydrates)and polymorphic forms of the compound (IV) or its salts. Pharmaceuticalcompositions of 4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O—(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate)and one or more diluents, vehicles and/or excipients. One example of apharmaceutical composition comprising 4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O—(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate)is ETOPOPHOS (etoposide phosphate). ETOPOPHOS comprises4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O-(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate)as the active ingredient, for IV infusion including inactive ingredientsin a sterile form for intravenous use only, in single-dose vialscontaining etoposide phosphate equivalent to 100 mg etoposide, 32.7 mgsodium citrate USP, and 300 mg dextran 40.

Suitable anti-proliferative agents for use in the methods of theinvention, include, without limitation, taxanes, paclitaxel (paclitaxelis commercially available as TAXOL®), docetaxel, discodermolide (DDM),dictyostatin (DCT), Peloruside A, epothilones, epothilone A, epothiloneB, epothilone C, epothilone D, epothilone E, epothilone F,furanoepothilone D, desoxyepothilone B1, [17]-dehydrodesoxyepothilone B,[18]dehydrodesoxyepothilones B, C12,13-cyclopropylepothilone A, C6-C8bridged epothilone A, trans-9,10-dehydroepothilone D,cis-9,10-dehydroepothilone D, 16-desmethylepothilone B, epothilone B10,discoderomolide, patupilone (EPO-906), KOS-862, KOS-1584, ZK-EPO,BMS-310705, ABJ-789, XAA296A (Discodermolide), TZT-1027 (soblidotin),ILX-651 (tasidotin hydrochloride), Halichondrin B, Eribulin mesylate(E-7389), Hemiasterlin (HTI-286), E-7974, Cyrptophycins, LY-355703,Maytansinoid immunoconjugates (DM-1), MKC-1, ABT-751, T1-38067,T-900607, SB-715992 (ispinesib), SB-743921, MK-0731, STA-5312,eleutherobin,17beta-acetoxy-2-ethoxy-6-oxo-B-homo-estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-3-ol,cyclostreptin, isolaulimalide, laulimalide,4-epi-7-dehydroxy-14,16-didemethyl-(+)-discodermolides, andcryptothilone 1, in addition to other microtubuline stabilizing agentsknown in the art.

The phrase “protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor” is meant to refer toagents that inhibit one or more members of the protein tyrosine kinasefamily. Non-limiting examples of protein tyrosine kinase inhibitorsinclude, but are not limited to, dasatinib, imatinib, nilotinib,PD180970, GGP76030, AP23464, SKI 606, NS-187, and/or AZD0530. Suchprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be administered either alone orin combination with other molecules, such as T315I inhibitors.

The phrase “microtubulin modulating agent” is meant to refer to agentsthat either stabilize microtubulin or destabilize microtubulin synthesisand/or polymerization.

As referenced herein, the at least one anti-proliferative agent may be amicrotubule affecting agent. A microtubule affecting agent interfereswith cellular mitosis and are well known in the art for theiranti-proliferative cytotoxic activity. Microtubule affecting agentsuseful in the invention include, but are not limited to, allocolchicine(NSC 406042), Halichondrin B (NSC 609395), colchicine (NSC 757),colchicine derivatives (e.g., NSC 33410), dolastatin 10 (NSC 376128),maytansine (NSC 153858), rhizoxin (NSC 332598), paclitaxel (TAXOL®, NSC125973), TAXOL® derivatives (e.g., derivatives (e.g., NSC 608832),thiocolchicine NSC 361792), trityl cysteine (NSC 83265), vinblastinesulfate (NSC 49842), vincristine sulfate (NSC 67574), natural andsynthetic epothilones including but not limited to epothilone A,epothilone B, epothilone C, epothilone D, desoxyepothilone A,desoxyepothilone B,[1S-[1R*,3R*(E),7R*,10S*,11R*,12R*,16S]]-7-11-dihydroxy-8,8,10,12,16-pentamethyl-3-[1-methyl-2-(2-methyl-4-thiazolyl)ethenyl]-4-aza-17oxabicyclo[14.1.0]heptadecane-5,9-dione(disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,094, issued Jul. 17, 2001),[1S-[1R*,3R*(E),7R*,10S*,11R*,12R*,16S*]]-3-[2-[2-(aminomethyl)-4-thiazolyl]-1-methylethenyl]-7,11-dihydroxy-8,8,10,12,16-pentamethyl-4-17-dioxabicyclo[14.1.0]-heptadecane-5,9-dione(disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 09/506,481 filed on Feb. 17, 2000, andexamples 7 and 8 herein), and derivatives thereof; and othermicrotubule-disruptor agents. Additional antineoplastic agents include,discodermolide (see Service, Science, 274:2009 (1996)) estramustine,nocodazole, MAP4, and the like. Examples of such agents are alsodescribed in the scientific and patent literature, see, e.g., Bulinski,J. Cell Sci., 110:3055-3064 (1997); Panda, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,94:10560-10564 (1997); Muhlradt, Cancer Res., 57:3344-3346 (1997);Nicolaou, Nature, 387:268-272 (1997); Vasquez, Mol. Biol. Cell.,8:973-985 (1997); Panda, J. Biol. Chem., 271:29807-29812 (1996).

In cases where it is desirable to render aberrantly proliferative cellsquiescent in conjunction with or prior to treatment with thechemotherapeutic methods of the invention, hormones and steroids(including synthetic analogs): 17a-Ethinylestradiol, Diethylstilbestrol,Testosterone, Prednisone, Fluoxymesterone, Dromostanolone propionate,Testolactone, Megestrolacetate, Methylprednisolone, Methyl-testosterone,Prednisolone, Triamcinolone, Chlorotrianisene, Hydroxyprogesterone,Aminoglutethimide, Estramustine, Medroxyprogesteroneacetate, Leuprolide,Flutamide, Toremifene, ZOLADEX® can also be administered to the patient.

Also suitable for use in the combination chemotherapeutic methods of theinvention are antiangiogenics such as matrix metalloproteinaseinhibitors, and other VEGF inhibitors, such as anti-VEGF antibodies andsmall molecules such as ZD6474 and SU6668 are also included. Anti-Her2antibodies from Genentech may also be utilized. A suitable EGFRinhibitor is EKB-569 (an irreversible inhibitor). Also included areImelone antibody C225 immunospecific for the EGFR, and src inhibitors.

Also suitable for use as an antiproliferative cytostatic agent isCASODEX® which renders androgen-dependent carcinomas non-proliferative.Yet another example of a cytostatic agent is the antiestrogen Tamoxifenwhich inhibits the proliferation or growth of estrogen dependent breastcancer. Inhibitors of the transduction of cellular proliferative signalsare cytostatic agents. Examples are epidermal growth factor inhibitors,Her-2 inhibitors, MEK-1 kinase inhibitors, MAPK kinase inhibitors, PI3inhibitors, Src kinase inhibitors, and PDGF inhibitors.

As mentioned, certain anti-proliferative agents are anti-angiogenic andantivascular agents and, by interrupting blood flow to solid tumors,render cancer cells quiescent by depriving them of nutrition.Castration, which also renders androgen dependent carcinomasnon-proliferative, may also be utilized. Starvation by means other thansurgical disruption of blood flow is another example of a cytostaticagent. A particularly preferred class of antivascular cytostatic agentsis the combretastatins. Other exemplary cytostatic agents include METkinase inhibitors, MAP kinase inhibitors, inhibitors of non-receptor andreceptor tyrosine kinases, inhibitors of integrin signaling, andinhibitors of insulin-like growth factor receptors. The presentinvention also provides methods for the administration of a proteintyrosine kinase inhibitor, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such aspaclitaxel; a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA doublestrand inducing agent, such as etoposide, in synergistic combination(s)with at least one co-stimulatory pathway modulators, particularly ananti-CTLA4 agent, for the treatment and prevention of a proliferativedisorder, in addition to a BCR-ABL associated disorder, a mutant BCR-ABLassociated disorder, and/or a protein tyrosine kinase-associateddisorder, an a disorder associated with the presence of animatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutation, a dasatinib-resistant BCR-ABLmutation, CML, imatinib-resistant CML, and/or Imatinib-intolerant CML.

The term “BCR-ABL” as used herein is inclusive of both wild-type andmutant BCR-ABL.

“BCR-ABL associated disorders” are those disorders which result fromBCR-ABL activity, including mutant BCR-ABL activity, and/or which arealleviated by the inhibition of BCR-ABL, including mutant BCR-ABL,expression and/or activity. A reciprocal translocation betweenchromosomes 9 and 22 produces the oncogenic BCR-ABL fusion protein. Thephrase “BCR-ABL associated disorders” is inclusive of “mutant BCR-ABLassociated disorders”.

Disorders included in the scope of the present invention include, forexample, leukemias, including, for example, chronic myeloid leukemia,acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and Philadelphia chromosome positive acutelymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), squamous cell carcinoma, small-celllung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioma, gastrointestinalcancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer,endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer,neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, cervicalcancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, coloncarcinoma, and head and neck cancer, gastric cancer, germ cell tumor,pediatric sarcoma, sinonasal natural killer, multiple myeloma, acutemyelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mastocytosis and anysymptom associated with mastocytosis. In addition, disorders includeurticaria pigmentosa, mastocytosises such as diffuse cutaneousmastocytosis, solitary mastocytoma in human, as well as dog mastocytomaand some rare subtypes like bullous, erythrodermic and teleangiectaticmastocytosis, mastocytosis with an associated hematological disorder,such as a myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic syndrome, or acuteleukemia, myeloproliferative disorder associated with mastocytosis, andmast cell leukemia. Various additional cancers are also included withinthe scope of protein tyrosine kinase-associated disorders including, forexample, the following: carcinoma, including that of the bladder,breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, pancreas, stomach, cervix,thyroid, testis, particularly testicular seminomas, and skin; includingsquamous cell carcinoma; gastrointestinal stromal tumors (“GIST”);hematopoietic tumors of lymphoid lineage, including leukemia, acutelymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma,T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkins lymphoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, hairy celllymphoma and Burketts lymphoma; hematopoietic tumors of myeloid lineage,including acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias and promyelocyticleukemia; tumors of mesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma andrhabdomyosarcoma; other tumors, including melanoma, seminoma,teratocarcinoma, neuroblastoma and glioma; tumors of the central andperipheral nervous system, including astrocytoma, neuroblastoma, glioma,and schwannomas; tumors of mesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma,rhabdomyosarcoma, and osteosarcoma; and other tumors, includingmelanoma, xenoderma pigmentosum, keratoactanthoma, seminoma, thyroidfollicular cancer, teratocarcinoma, chemotherapy refractorynon-seminomatous germ-cell tumors, and Kaposi's sarcoma. In certainpreferred embodiments, the disorder is leukemia, breast cancer, prostatecancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, melanoma, or solid tumors. In certainpreferred embodiments, the leukemia is chronic myeloid leukemia (CML),Ph+ ALL, AML, imatinib-resistant CML, imatinib-intolerant CML,accelerated CML, lymphoid blast phase CML.

A “solid tumor” includes, for example, sarcoma, melanoma, carcinoma,prostate carcinoma, lung carcinoma, colon carcinoma, or other solidtumor cancer.

The terms “cancer”, “cancerous”, or “malignant” refer to or describe thephysiological condition in mammals that is typically characterized byunregulated cell growth. Examples of cancer include, for example,leukemia, lymphoma, blastoma, carcinoma and sarcoma. More particularexamples of such cancers include chronic myeloid leukemia, acutelymphoblastic leukemia, Philadelphia chromosome positive acutelymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), squamous cell carcinoma, small-celllung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioma, gastrointestinalcancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer,endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer,neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, cervicalcancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, coloncarcinoma, and head and neck cancer, gastric cancer, germ cell tumor,pediatric sarcoma, sinonasal natural killer, multiple myeloma, acutemyelogenous leukemia (AML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CML).

“Leukemia” refers to progressive, malignant diseases of theblood-forming organs and is generally characterized by a distortedproliferation and development of leukocytes and their precursors in theblood and bone marrow. Leukemia is generally clinically classified onthe basis of (1) the duration and character of the disease—acute orchronic; (2) the type of cell involved; myeloid (myelogenous), lymphoid(lymphogenous), or monocytic; and (3) the increase or non-increase inthe number of abnormal cells in the blood—leukemic or aleukemic(subleukemic). Leukemia includes, for example, acute nonlymphocyticleukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia,chronic granulocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, adultT-cell leukemia, aleukemic leukemia, a leukocythemic leukemia,basophylic leukemia, blast cell leukemia, bovine leukemia, chronicmyelocytic leukemia, leukemia cutis, embryonal leukemia, eosinophilicleukemia, Gross' leukemia, hairy-cell leukemia, hemoblastic leukemia,hemocytoblastic leukemia, histiocytic leukemia, stem cell leukemia,acute monocytic leukemia, leukopenic leukemia, lymphatic leukemia,lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia, lymphogenous leukemia,lymphoid leukemia, lymphosarcoma cell leukemia, mast cell leukemia,megakaryocytic leukemia, micromyeloblastic leukemia, monocytic leukemia,myeloblastic leukemia, myelocytic leukemia, myeloid granulocyticleukemia, myelomonocytic leukemia, Naegeli leukemia, plasma cellleukemia, plasmacytic leukemia, promyelocytic leukemia, Rieder cellleukemia, Schilling's leukemia, stein cell leukemia, subleukemicleukemia, and undifferentiated cell leukemia. In certain aspects, thepresent invention provides treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia, acutelymphoblastic leukemia, and/or Philadelphia chromosome positive acutelymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).

A “mutant BCR-ABL” encompasses a BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase with an aminoacid sequence that differs from wild type BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase by oneor more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions. For example asubstitution of the amino acid at position 507 of SEQ ID NO:2 withanother amino acid would result in a mutant BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase.

“Mutant BCR-ABL associated disorder” is used to describe a BCR-ABLassociated disorder in which the cells involved in said disorder are orbecome resistant to treatment with a kinase inhibitor used to treat saiddisorder as a result of a mutation in BCR-ABL. For example, a kinaseinhibitor compound can be used to treat a cancerous condition, whichcompound inhibits the activity of wild type BCR-ABL which will inhibitproliferation and/or induce apoptosis of cancerous cells. Over time, amutation can be introduced into the gene encoding BCR-ABL kinase, whichcan alter the amino acid sequence of the BCR-ABL kinase and cause thecancer cells to become resistant, or at least partially resistant, totreatment with the compound. Alternatively, a mutation can already bepresent within the gene encoding BCR-ABL kinase, either genetically oras a consequence of an oncogenic event, independent of treatment with aprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which can be one factor resulting inthese cells propensity to differentiate into a cancerous orproliferative state, and also result in these cells being less sensitiveto treatment with a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Such situationsare expected to result, either directly or indirectly, in a “mutantBCR-ABL kinase associated disorder” and treatment of such condition willrequire a compound that is at least partially effective against themutant BCR-ABL, preferably against both wild type BCR-ABL and the mutantBCR-ABL. In the instance where an individual develops at least partialresistance to the kinase inhibitor imatinib, the mutant BCR-ABLassociated disorder is one that results from an imatinib-resistantBCR-ABL mutation, or a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistantBCR-ABL mutation. Similarly, in the instance where an individualdevelops at least partial resistance to the kinase inhibitorN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide,the mutant BCR-ABL associated disorder is one that results from anN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideresistant BCR-ABL mutation, or a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitorresistant BCR-ABL mutation. The present inventors discovered that aftertreatment withN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarb oxamide, certain individuals developed E507G mutations. The presentinvention provides, among other things, methods of treating mutantBCR-ABL associated disorders and methods of identifying if an individualhas a mutant BCR-ABL associated disorder.

“Protein tyrosine kinase-associated disorders” of particular interestherein are those disorders which result, at least in part, from aberrantSRC or BCR-ABL (WT or mutant) activity and/or which are alleviated bythe inhibition of SRC or BCR-ABL (WT or mutant) referred to herein as“SRC associated disorders”, “SRC associated cancer”, or “BCR-ABLassociated disorders”, “BCR-ABL associated cancer”

“Imatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutation” refers to a specific mutation inthe amino acid sequence of BCR-ABL that confers upon cells that expresssaid mutation resistance to treatment with imatinib. As discussed hereinsuch mutations can include mutations at the T315I position of BCR-ABL.Additional mutations that may render a BCR-ABL protein at leastpartially imatinib resistant can include, for example, E279K, F359C,F359I, L364I, L387M, F486S, D233H, T243S, M244V, G249D, G250E, G251S,Q252H, Y253F, Y253H, E255K, E255V, V256L, Y257F, Y257R, F259S, K262E,D263G, K264R, S265R, V268A, V270A, T272A, Y274C, Y274R, D276N, T277P,M278K, E279K, E282G, F283S, A288T, A288V, M290T, K291R, E292G, 1293T,P296S, L298M, L298P, V299L, Q300R, G303E, V304A, V304D, C305S, C305Y,T306A, F311L, 1314V, T315I, T315A, E316G, F317L, F317I, M318T, Y320C,Y320H, G321E, D325H, Y326C, L327P, R328K, E329V, Q333L, A337V, V339G,L342E, M343V, M343T, A344T, A344V, 1347V, A350T, M351T, E352A, E352K,E355G, K357E, N358D, N358S, F359V, F359C, F359I, I360K, I360T, L364H,L364I, E373K, N374D, K378R, V379I, A380T, A380V, D381G, F382L, L387M,M388L, T389S, T392A, T394A, A395G, H396K, H396R, A399G, P402T, T406A,S417Y, F486S, and E507G. Additional Imatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutationsmay also include other BCR-ABL mutations disclosed elsewhere herein.

“Dasatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutation” refers to a specific mutation inthe amino acid sequence of BCR-ABL that confers upon cells that expresssaid mutation at least partial resistance to treatment with dasatinib.As discussed herein such mutations can include mutations at the T315I,T315A, F317A, F317I, and E507G position of BCR-ABL. Additionaldasatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutations may also include other BCR-ABLmutations disclosed elsewhere herein.

“Imatinib-resistant CML” refers to a CML in which the cells involved inCML are resistant to treatment with imatinib. Generally it is a resultof a mutation in BCR-ABL.

“Imatinib-intolerant CML” refers to a CML in which the individual havingthe CML is intolerant to treatment with imatinib, i.e., the toxic and/ordetrimental side effects of imatinib outweigh any therapeuticallybeneficial effects.

The synergistic combination of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor,microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleosideanalogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide with a co-stimulatory pathway modulator may alsoincluding the addition of one or more additional compounds, whichinclude but are not limited to the following: a tubulin stabilizingagent (e.g., pacitaxol, epothilone, taxane, etc.); a farnysyltransferase inhibitor (e.g.,(R)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-3-(phenylmethyl)-4-(2-thienylsulfonyl)-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-7-carbonitrile,hydrochloride salt); another protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor; anincreased dosing frequency regimen ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide;the ATP non-competitive inhibitor ONO12380; Aurora kinase inhibitorVX-680; p38 MAP kinase inhibitor BIRB-796; and any other combination ordosing regimen comprisingN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidedisclosed herein, or any other combination disclosed herein.

A “farnysyl transferase inhibitor” can be any compound or molecule thatinhibits farnysyl transferase. The farnysyl transferase inhibitor canhave formula (II),(R)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-3-(phenylmethyl)-4-(2-thienylsulfonyl)-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-7-carbonitrile,hydrochloride salt. The compound of formula (V) is a cytotoxic FTinhibitor which is known to kill non-proliferating cancer cellspreferentially. The compound of formula (V) can further be useful inkilling stem cells.

The compound of formula (V), its preparation, and uses thereof aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,029, which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety and for all purposes. Uses of the compound offormula (II) are also described in WO 2004/015130, published Feb. 19,2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety and forall purposes.

The phrase “protein tyrosine kinase” as used herein includes enzymesthat catalyze the transfer of the terminal phosphate of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) to tyrosine residues in protein substrates.Non-limiting examples of tyrosine kinases include receptor tyrosinekinases such as EGFR (e.g., EGFR/HER1/ErbB1, HER2/Neu/ErbB2, HER3/ErbB3,HER4/ErbB4), TNSR (insulin receptor), IGF-IR, IGF-II1R, IRR (insulinreceptor-related receptor), PDGFR (e.g., PDGFRA, PDGFRB), c-KIT/SCFR,VEGFR-1/FLT-1, VEGFR-2/FLK-1/KDR, VEGFR-3/FLT-4, FLT-3/FLK-2, CSF-1R,FGFR 1-4, CCK4, TRK A-C, MET, RON, EPHA 1-8, EPHB 1-6, AXL, MER, TYRO3,TIE, TEK, RYK, DDR 1-2, RET, c-ROS, LTK (leukocyte tyrosine kinase), ALK(anaplastic lymphoma kinase), ROR 1-2, MUSK, AATYK 1-3, and RTK 106; andnon-receptor tyrosine kinases such as BCR-ABL, Src, Frk, Btk, Csk, Abi,Zap70, Fes/Fps, Fak, Jak, Ack, and LIMK. One of skill in the art willknow of other receptor and/or non-receptor tyrosine kinases that can betargeted using the inhibitors described herein.

The term “tyrosine kinase inhibitor” includes any of a variety oftherapeutic agents or drugs that act as selective or non-selectiveinhibitors of receptor and/or non-receptor tyrosine kinases. Withoutbeing bound to any particular theory, tyrosine kinase inhibitorsgenerally inhibit target tyrosine kinases by binding to the ATP-bindingsite of the enzyme. Examples of tyrosine kinase inhibitors suitable foruse in the methods of the present invention include, but are not limitedto, gefitinib (Iressa®), sunitinib (Sutent®; SU11248), erlotinib(Tarceva®; OSI-1774), lapatinib (GW572016; GW2016), canertinib (CI1033), semaxinib (SU5416), vatalanib (PTK787/ZK222584), sorafenib (BAY43-9006), imatinib (Gleevec®; STI571), dasatinib (BMS-354825),leflunomide (SU101), vandetanib (Zactima®; ZD6474), nilotinib,derivatives thereof, analogs thereof, and combinations thereof.Additional tyrosine kinase inhibitors suitable for use in the presentinvention are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,618,829, 5,639,757,5,728,868, 5,804,396, 6,100,254, 6,127,374, 6,245,759, 6,306,874,6,313,138, 6,316,444, 6,329,380, 6,344,459, 6,420,382, 6,479,512,6,498,165, 6,544,988, 6,562,818, 6,586,423, 6,586,424, 6,740,665,6,794,393, 6,875,767, 6,927,293, and 6,958,340. One of skill in the artwill know of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors suitable for use in thepresent invention

Methods for the safe and effective administration of most of thesechemotherapeutic agents are known to those skilled in the art. Inaddition, their administration is described in the standard literature.

For example, the administration of many of the chemotherapeutic agentsis described in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR), e.g., 1996 edition(Medical Economics Company, Montvale, N.J. 07645-1742, USA); thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

The compositions of the present invention may further comprise one ormore pharmaceutically acceptable additional ingredient(s) such as alum,stabilizers, antimicrobial agents, buffers, coloring agents, flavoringagents, adjuvants, and the like. The pharmaceutical compositions of thepresent invention may be administered orally or parenterally includingthe intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, rectaland topical routes of administration.

For oral use, the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention,may be administered, for example, in the form of tablets or capsules,powders, dispersible granules, or cachets, or as aqueous solutions orsuspensions. In the case of tablets for oral use, carriers which arecommonly used include lactose, corn starch, magnesium carbonate, talc,and sugar, and lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate arecommonly added. For oral administration in capsule form, useful carriersinclude lactose, corn starch, magnesium carbonate, talc, and sugar. Whenaqueous suspensions are used for oral administration, emulsifying and/orsuspending agents are commonly added.

In addition, sweetening and/or flavoring agents may be added to the oralcompositions. For intramuscular, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous andintravenous use, sterile solutions of the active ingredient(s) areusually employed, and the pH of the solutions should be suitablyadjusted and buffered. For intravenous use, the total concentration ofthe solute(s) should be controlled in order to render the preparationisotonic.

For preparing suppositories according to the invention, a low meltingwax such as a mixture of fatty acid glycerides or cocoa butter is firstmelted, and the active ingredient is dispersed homogeneously in the wax,for example by stirring. The molten homogeneous mixture is then pouredinto conveniently sized molds and allowed to cool and thereby solidify.

Liquid preparations include solutions, suspensions and emulsions. Suchpreparations are exemplified by water or water/propylene glycolsolutions for parenteral injection. Liquid preparations may also includesolutions for intranasal administration.

Aerosol preparations suitable for inhalation may include solutions andsolids in powder form, which may be in combination with apharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as an inert compressed gas.

Also included are solid preparations which are intended for conversion,shortly before use, to liquid preparations for either oral or parenteraladministration. Such liquid forms include solutions, suspensions andemulsions.

The co-stimulatory pathway modulator, preferably an anti-CTLA4 agent,described herein may also be delivered transdermally. The transdermalcompositions can take the form of creams, lotions, aerosols and/oremulsions and can be included in a transdermal patch of the matrix orreservoir type as are conventional in the art for this purpose.

If formulated as a fixed dose, the active ingredients of thepharmaceutical combination compositions of the present invention areemployed within the dosage ranges described below. Alternatively, theco-stimulatory pathway modulator and the protein tyrosine kinaseinhibitor may be administered separately in the dosage ranges describedbelow. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, theco-stimulatory pathway modulator is administered in the dosage rangedescribed below following or simultaneously with administration of theprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitor in the dosage range described below.

The following sets forth preferred therapeutic combinations andexemplary dosages for use in the methods of the present invention.

DOSAGE THERAPEUTIC COMBINATION mg/m² (per dose)¹ First Administration ofDasatinib, with 50-180 mg BID Administration of anti-CTLA4 Antibody0.1-25 mg/kg ¹Each combination listed herein optionally includes theadministration of an anti-cancer vaccine from about 0.001-100 mg.

DOSAGE THERAPEUTIC COMBINATION mg/m² (per dose)¹ First Administration ofPaclitaxel, with 40-250 mg/m² Administration of anti-CTLA4 Antibody0.1-25 mg/kg First Administration of Gemcitabine with 200-1250 mgAdministration of anti-CTLA4 Antibody 0.1-25 mg/kg First Administrationof Etoposide with 50-900 mg Administration of anti-CTLA4 Antibody 0.1-25mg/kg

While this table provides exemplary dosage ranges of the proteintyrosine kinase inhibitor, preferably SPRYCEL®, a co-stimulator pathwaymodulator, preferably anti-CTLA4 antibody, and/or anti-cancer vaccineagents, when formulating the pharmaceutical compositions of theinvention the clinician may utilize preferred dosages as warranted bythe condition of the patient being treated. The anti-CTLA4 antibody maypreferably be administered at about 0.3-10 mg/kg, or the maximumtolerated dose. In an embodiment of the invention, a dosage of CTLA-4antibody is administered about every three weeks. Alternatively, theCTLA-4 antibody may be administered by an escalating dosage regimenincluding administering a first dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 3mg/kg, a second dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 5 mg/kg, and a thirddosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 9 mg/kg.

Likewise, the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, preferably SPRYCEL®,may preferably be administered at about 2 times per day at 70 mg.Alternatively, it can be dosed at, for example, about 50, about 70,about 90, about 100, 110, or 120 BID, or 100, 140, or 180 once daily, orthe maximum tolerated dose. The dose of a protein tyrosine kinaseinhibitor may depend upon a number of factors, including stage ofdisease, the presence of one or more mutations in the targeted proteintyrosine kinase, BCR-ABL mutations, etc. The specific dose that shouldbe administered based upon the presence of one or more of such factorsis within the skill of the artisan.

Likewise, etoposide may preferably be administered at about 50 mg toabout 900 mg per day. Etoposide is available for intravenous infusion asa sterile lyophile in single-dose vials containing etoposide phosphateequivalent to 100 mg etoposide, 32.7 mg sodium citrate USP, and 300 mgdextran 40. Alternatively, it can be dosed at, for example, about 50,about 70, about 90, about 100, about 200, about 300, about 400, about500, about 600, about 700, about 800 or about 900 daily, or the maximumtolerated dose.

Likewise, gemcitabine may preferably be administered at about 200 mg/mto about 1250 mg/m per day by IV over 30 to 90 minute infusion.Gemcitabine is available for intravenous infusion containing from about200 mg to about 1250 mg of gemcitabine HCl (expressed as free base)formulated with mannitol (200 mg or 1 g, respectively) and sodiumacetate (12.5 mg or 62.5 mg, respectively) as a sterile lyophilizedpowder. Alternatively, it can be dosed at, for example, about 50, about100, about 200, about 300, about 400, about 500, about 600, about 700,about 800, about 900, about 1000, about 1100, about 1200 or about 1250daily, or the maximum tolerated dose.

The combinations of the present invention may also be used inconjunction with other well known therapies that are selected for theirparticular usefulness against the condition that is being treated.

The anti-CTLA4 antibody may preferably be administered at about 0.3-10mg/kg, or the maximum tolerated dose. In an embodiment of the invention,a dosage of CTLA-4 antibody is administered about every three weeks.Alternatively, the CTLA-4 antibody may be administered by an escalatingdosage regimen including administering a first dosage of CTLA-4 antibodyat about 3 mg/kg, a second dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 5 mg/kg,and a third dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 9 mg/kg.

In another specific embodiment, the escalating dosage regimen includesadministering a first dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 5 mg/kg and asecond dosage of CTLA-4 antibody at about 9 mg/kg.

Further, the present invention provides an escalating dosage regimen,which includes administering an increasing dosage of CTLA-4 antibodyabout every six weeks.

In an aspect of the present invention, a stepwise escalating dosageregimen is provided, which includes administering a first CTLA-4antibody dosage of about 3 mg/kg, a second CTLA-4 antibody dosage ofabout 3 mg/kg, a third CTLA-4 antibody dosage of about 5 mg/kg, a fourthCTLA-4 antibody dosage of about 5 mg/kg, and a fifth CTLA-4 antibodydosage of about 9 mg/kg. In another aspect of the present invention, astepwise escalating dosage regimen is provided, which includesadministering a first dosage of 5 mg/kg, a second dosage of 5 mg/kg, anda third dosage of 9 mg/kg.

The actual dosage employed may be varied depending upon the requirementsof the patient and the severity of the condition being treated.Determination of the proper dosage for a particular situation is withinthe skill of the art. Generally, treatment is initiated with smallerdosages which are less than the optimum dose of the compound.Thereafter, the dosage is increased by small amounts until the optimumeffect under the circumstances is reached. For convenience, the totaldaily dosage may be divided and administered in portions during the dayif desired. Intermittent therapy (e.g., one week out of three weeks orthree out of four weeks) may also be used.

When employing the methods or compositions of the present invention,other agents used in the modulation of tumor growth or metastasis in aclinical setting, such as antiemetics, can also be administered asdesired.

The combinations of the instant invention may also be co-administeredwith other well known therapeutic agents that are selected for theirparticular usefulness against the condition that is being treated.Combinations of the instant invention may alternatively be usedsequentially with known pharmaceutically acceptable agent(s) when amultiple combination formulation is inappropriate.

The chemotherapeutic agent(s) and/or radiation therapy can beadministered according to therapeutic protocols well known in the art.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the administrationof the chemotherapeutic agent(s) and/or radiation therapy can be varieddepending on the disease being treated and the known effects of thechemotherapeutic agent(s) and/or radiation therapy on that disease.Also, in accordance with the knowledge of the skilled clinician, thetherapeutic protocols (e.g., dosage amounts and times of administration)can be varied in view of the observed effects of the administeredtherapeutic agents (i.e., anti-CTLA4 agent(s) and protein tyrosinekinase inhibitor) on the patient, and in view of the observed responsesof the disease to the administered therapeutic agents.

In the methods of this invention, a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor,such as dasatinib, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such aspaclitaxel; a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA doublestrand inducing agent, such as etoposide is administered simultaneouslyor sequentially with an anti-CTLA4 agent. Thus, it is not necessary thatthe anti-CTLA4 therapeutic agent(s) and a microtubuline-stabilizingagent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine;or a DNA double strand inducing agent, such as etoposide be administeredsimultaneously or essentially simultaneously. The advantage of asimultaneous or essentially simultaneous administration is well withinthe determination of the skilled clinician.

Also, in general, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel;a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strandinducing agent, such as etoposide and anti-CTLA4 agent(s) do not have tobe administered in the same pharmaceutical composition, and may, becauseof different physical and chemical characteristics, have to beadministered by different routes.

If a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleosideanalogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide and the anti-CTLA4 agent(s) are not administeredsimultaneously or essentially simultaneously, then the initial order ofadministration of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such asdasatinib, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; anucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strandinducing agent, such as etoposide and the anti-CTLA4 agent(s) may bevaried. Thus, for example, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such aspaclitaxel; a nucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA doublestrand inducing agent, such as etoposide may be administered firstfollowed by the administration of the anti-CTLA4 agent(s); or theanti-CTLA4 agent(s) may be administered first followed by theadministration of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, amicrotubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; a nucleosideanalogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strand inducing agent,such as etoposide. This alternate administration may be repeated duringa single treatment protocol. The determination of the order ofadministration, and the number of repetitions of administration of eachtherapeutic agent during a treatment protocol, is well within theknowledge of the skilled physician after evaluation of the disease beingtreated and the condition of the patient.

Thus, in accordance with experience and knowledge, the practicingphysician can modify each protocol for the administration of a component(therapeutic agent—i.e., a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such asdasatinib, a microtubuline-stabilizing agent, such as paclitaxel; anucleoside analogue, such as gemcitabine; or a DNA double strandinducing agent, such as etoposide, anti-CTLA4 agent(s),) of thetreatment according to the individual patient's needs, as the treatmentproceeds.

The attending clinician, in judging whether treatment is effective atthe dosage administered, will consider the general well-being of thepatient as well as more definite signs such as relief of disease-relatedsymptoms, inhibition of tumor growth, actual shrinkage of the tumor, orinhibition of metastasis. Size of the tumor can be measured by standardmethods such as radiological studies, e.g., CAT or MRI scan, andsuccessive measurements can be used to judge whether or not growth ofthe tumor has been retarded or even reversed. Relief of disease-relatedsymptoms such as pain, and improvement in overall condition can also beused to help judge effectiveness of treatment.

As referenced elsewhere herein, the optimal dose for the proteintyrosine kinase inhibitor may depend upon a number of factors, includingbut limited to the presence of one or more mutations in the targetedprotein tyrosine kinase inhibitor and/or in BCR-ABL.

A “therapeutically effective amount” of an inhibitor of a mutant BCR-ABLkinase can be a function of the mutation present. For example Shah etal. disclose that cell lines with certain mutations in BCR-ABL kinaseare more sensitive toN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidethan cell lines with different BCR-ABL kinase mutations. For example,cells comprising a F317L mutation in BCR-ABL kinase may require three tofive-fold higher concentration ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidethan cell lines expressing a F317I mutation. One skilled in the art willappreciate the difference in sensitivity of the mutant BCR-ABL kinasecells and determine a therapeutically effective dose accordingly.

Examples of therapeutically effective doses ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidethat may be warranted based upon the relative sensitivity of BCR-ABLkinase mutants toN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidecompared to wild-type BCR-ABL kinase can be determined using various invitro biochemical assays including cellular proliferation, BCR-ABLtyrosine phosphorylation, peptide substrate phosphorylation, and/orautophosphorylation assays. For example, approximate therapeuticallyeffective doses ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidecan be calculated based upon multiplying the typical dose with the foldchange in sensitivity in anyone or more of these assays for each BCR-ABLkinase mutant. O'Hare et al. (Cancer Res., 65(10:4500-4505 (2005), whichis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for allpurposes) performed analysis of the relative sensitivity ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidewith several clinically relevant BCR-ABL Kinase mutants. For example,the E255V mutant had a fold change of “1” in the GST-Abl kinase assay,whereas this same mutant had a fold change of “14” in the cellularproliferation assay. Thus, a therapeutically relevant dose ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidefor patients harboring this mutation could range, for example, anywherefrom 1 to 14 fold higher than the typical dose. Accordingly,therapeutically relevant doses ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidefor any of the BCR-ABL kinase mutants can be, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 30, 35,40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, or 300 folderhigher than the prescribed dose. Alternatively, therapeutically relevantdoses ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidecan be, for example, 0.9×, 0.8×, 0.7×, 0.6×, 0.5×, 0.4×, 0.3×, 0.2×,0.1×, 0.09×, 0.08×, 0.07×, 0.06×, 0.05×, 0.04×, 0.03×, 0.02×, or 0.01×of the prescribed dose.

According to O'Hare et al., the M244V mutant had a fold change of “1.3”in the GST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “1.1” in theautophosphorylation assay, and a fold change of “2” in the cellularproliferation assay; the G250E mutant had a fold change of “0.5” in theGST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “3” in the autophosphorylationassay, and a fold change of “2” in the cellular proliferation assay; theQ252H mutant had a fold change of “4” in the cellular proliferationassay; the Y253F mutant had a fold change of “0.6” in the GST-Abl kinaseassay, a fold change of “4” in the autophosphorylation assay, and a foldchange of “4” in the cellular proliferation assay; the Y253H mutant hada fold change of “3” in the GST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “2”in the autophosphorylation assay, and a fold change of “2” in thecellular proliferation assay; the E255K mutant had a fold change of“0.3” in the GST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “2” in theautophosphorylation assay, and a fold change of “7” in the cellularproliferation assay; the F317L mutant had a fold change of “1.5” in theGST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “1.4” in the autophosphorylationassay, and a fold change of “9” in the cellular proliferation assay; theM351T mutant had a fold change of “0.2” in the GST-Abl kinase assay, afold change of “2” in the autophosphorylation assay, and a fold changeof “1.4” in the cellular proliferation assay; the F359V mutant had afold change of “0.8” in the GST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “2”in the autophosphorylation assay, and a fold change of “3” in thecellular proliferation assay; the H396R mutant had a fold change of“1.3” in the GST-Abl kinase assay, a fold change of “3” in theautophosphorylation assay, and a fold change of “2” in the cellularproliferation assay.

For patients harboring the T315I mutation, either alone or incombination with another BCR-ABL mutation disclosed herein,administration of higher doses ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide,or combinations ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand imatinib; a combination ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand a tubulin stabilizing agent (e.g., pacitaxol, epothilone, taxane,etc.); a combination ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand a farnysyl transferase inhibitor; a combination ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideand another protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor; any other combinationdiscloses herein; an increased dosing frequency regimen ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide;and any other combination or dosing regimen comprisingN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidedisclosed herein, may be warranted. Alternatively, combinations ofN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamidewith a T315I inhibitor may also be warranted.

Dosage regimens involvingN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamideuseful in practicing the present invention are described in U.S. Ser.No. 10/395,503, filed Mar. 24, 2003; and Blood (ASH Annual MeetingAbstracts) 2004, Volume 104: Abstract 20, “Hematologic and CytogeneticResponses in imatinib-Resistant Accelerated and Blast Phase ChronicMyeloid Leukemia (CML) Patients Treated with the Dual SRC/ABL KinaseInhibitorN-(2-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-2-[[6-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl]amino]-5-thiazolecarboxamide:Results from a Phase I Dose Escalation Study”, by Moshe Talpaz, et al.;which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety andfor all purposes.

Additional Anti-CTLA4 Compositions

The present invention also encompasses additional anti-CTLA-4 agentsincluding, but not limited to, an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, an anti-CTLA-4adnectin, an anti-CTLA-4 RNAi, single chain anti-CTLA-4 antibodyfragments, domain anti-CTLA-4 antibody fragments, and an anti-CTLA-4antisense molecule.

A preferred anti-CTLA4 agent of the present invention is the anti-CTLA4antibody ipilimumab. Other anti-CTLA4 antibodies and fragments areencompassed by the present invention which immunospecifically bind apolypeptide, polypeptide fragment, or variant of CTLA4, and/or anepitope of CTLA4 (as determined by immunoassays well known in the artfor assaying specific antibody-antigen binding). Antibodies include, butare not limited to, polyclonal, monoclonal, monovalent, bispecific,heteroconjugate, multispecific, human, humanized or chimeric antibodies,single chain antibodies, Fab fragments, F(ab′) fragments, fragmentsproduced by a Fab expression library, anti-idiotypic (anti-Id)antibodies (including, e.g., anti-Id antibodies to antibodies of theinvention), and epitope-binding fragments of any of the above. The term“antibody,” as used herein, refers to immunoglobulin molecules andimmunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e.,molecules that contain an antigen binding site that immunospecificallybinds an antigen. The immunoglobulin molecules of the invention can beof any type (e.g., IgG, IgE, IgM, IgD, IgA and IgY), class (e.g., IgG1,IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA1 and IgA2) or subclass of immunoglobulin molecule.Moreover, the term “antibody” (Ab) or “monoclonal antibody” (Mab) ismeant to include intact molecules, as well as, antibody fragments (suchas, for example, Fab and F(ab′)2 fragments) which are capable ofspecifically binding to protein. Fab and F(ab′)2 fragments lack the Fcfragment of intact antibody, clear more rapidly from the circulation ofthe animal or plant, and may have less non-specific tissue binding thanan intact antibody (Wahl et al., J. Nucl. Med., 24:316-325 (1983)).Thus, these fragments are preferred, as well as the products of a FAB orother immunoglobulin expression library. Moreover, anti-CTLA4 antibodiesinclude chimeric, single chain, and humanized antibodies.

The anti-CTLA4 antibodies can be produced by any method known in the artfor the synthesis of antibodies, in particular, by chemical synthesis orpreferably, by recombinant expression techniques.

The adnectins of the present invention may be made according to themethods outlined in co-owned U.S. published patent applications Nos. US2007/0082365, and US 2008/0139791.

Techniques described for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S.Pat. No. 4,946,778; Bird, Science, 242:423-442 (1988); Huston et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85:5879-5883 (1988); and Ward et al.,Nature, 334:544-554 (1989)) can be adapted to produce single chainantibodies. Single chain antibodies are formed by linking the heavy andlight chain fragments of the Fv region via an amino acid bridge,resulting in a single chain polypeptide. Techniques for the assembly offunctional Fv fragments in E. coli may also be used (Skerra et al.,Science, 242:1038-1041 (1988)).

Recombinant expression of an anti-CTLA4 antibody, or fragment,derivative or analog thereof, (e.g., a heavy or light chain of anantibody of the invention or a single chain antibody of the invention),requires construction of an expression vector containing apolynucleotide that encodes the antibody. Once a polynucleotide encodingan anti-CTLA4 antibody molecule or a heavy or light chain of anantibody, or portion thereof (preferably containing the heavy or lightchain variable domain), has been obtained, the vector for the productionof the anti-CTLA4 antibody molecule may be produced by recombinant DNAtechnology using techniques well known in the art. Thus, methods forpreparing a protein by expressing a polynucleotide containing anantibody encoding nucleotide sequence are described herein. Methodswhich are well known to those skilled in the art can be used toconstruct expression vectors containing antibody coding sequences andappropriate transcriptional and translational control signals. Thesemethods include, for example, in vitro recombinant DNA techniques,synthetic techniques, and in vivo genetic recombination. The invention,thus, provides replicable vectors comprising a nucleotide sequenceencoding an anti-CTLA4 antibody, or a heavy or light chain thereof, or aheavy or light chain variable domain, operably linked to a promoter.Such vectors may include the nucleotide sequence encoding the constantregion of the antibody molecule (see, e.g., PCT Publication Nos. WO86/05807 and WO 89/01036; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,464) and the variabledomain of the antibody may be cloned into such a vector for expressionof the entire heavy or light chain.

The expression vector is transferred to a host cell by conventionaltechniques and the transfected cells are then cultured by conventionaltechniques to produce an anti-CTLA4 antibody. Thus, the inventionincludes host cells containing a polynucleotide encoding an anti-CTLA4antibody, or a heavy or light chain thereof, or a single chain antibodyof the invention, operably linked to a heterologous promoter. Inpreferred embodiments for the expression of double-chained antibodies,vectors encoding both the heavy and light chains may be co-expressed inthe host cell for expression of the entire immunoglobulin molecule, asdetailed below.

A variety of host-expression vector systems may be utilized to expressthe anti-CTLA4 antibody molecules. Such host-expression systemsrepresent vehicles by which the coding sequences of interest may beproduced and subsequently purified, but also represent cells which may,when transformed or transfected with the appropriate nucleotide codingsequences, express an antibody molecule of the invention in situ. Theseinclude but are not limited to microorganisms such as bacteria (e.g., E.coli, B. subtilis) transformed with recombinant bacteriophage DNA,plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA expression vectors containing antibody codingsequences; yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces, Pichia) transformed withrecombinant yeast expression vectors containing antibody codingsequences; insect cell systems infected with recombinant virusexpression vectors (e.g., baculovirus) containing antibody codingsequences; plant cell systems infected with recombinant virus expressionvectors (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMV; tobacco mosaic virus,TMV) or transformed with recombinant plasmid expression vectors (e.g.,Ti plasmid) containing antibody coding sequences; or mammalian cellsystems (e.g., COS, CHO, BHK, 293, 3T3 cells) harboring recombinantexpression constructs containing promoters derived from the genome ofmammalian cells (e.g., metallothionein promoter) or from mammalianviruses (e.g., the adenovirus late promoter; the vaccinia virus 7.5Kpromoter). Preferably, bacterial cells such as Escherichia coli, andmore preferably, eukaryotic cells, especially for the expression ofwhole recombinant antibody molecule, are used for the expression of arecombinant antibody molecule. For example, mammalian cells such asChinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), in conjunction with a vector such asthe major intermediate early gene promoter element from humancytomegalovirus is an effective expression system for antibodies(Foecking et al., Gene, 45:101 (1986); Cockett et al., Bio/Technology,8:2 (1990)).

In bacterial systems, a number of expression vectors may beadvantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the antibodymolecule being expressed. For example, when a large quantity of such aprotein is to be produced, for the generation of pharmaceuticalcompositions of an antibody molecule, vectors which direct theexpression of high levels of fusion protein products that are readilypurified may be desirable. Such vectors include, but are not limited, tothe E. coli expression vector pUR278 (Ruther et al., EMBO J., 2:1791(1983)), in which the antibody coding sequence may be ligatedindividually into the vector in frame with the lac Z coding region sothat a fusion protein is produced; pIN vectors (Inouye et al., NucleicAcids Res., 13:3101-3109 (1985); Van Heeke et al., J. Biol. Chem.,24:5503-5509 (1989)); and the like. pGEX vectors may also be used toexpress foreign polypeptides as fusion proteins with glutathioneS-transferase (GST). In general, such fusion proteins are soluble andcan easily be purified from lysed cells by adsorption and binding tomatrix glutathione-agarose beads followed by elution in the presence offree glutathione. The pGEX vectors are designed to include thrombin orfactor Xa protease cleavage sites so that the cloned target gene productcan be released from the GST moiety.

In an insect system, Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus(AcNPV) is used as a vector to express foreign genes. The virus grows inSpodoptera frugiperda cells. The antibody coding sequence may be clonedindividually into non-essential regions (for example the polyhedringene) of the virus and placed under control of an AcNPV promoter (forexample the polyhedrin promoter).

In mammalian host cells, a number of viral-based expression systems maybe utilized. In cases where an adenovirus is used as an expressionvector, the anti-CTLA4 antibody coding sequence may be ligated to anadenovirus transcription/translation control complex, e.g., the latepromoter and tripartite leader sequence. This chimeric gene may then beinserted in the adenovirus genome by in vitro or in vivo recombination.Insertion in a non-essential region of the viral genome (e.g., region E1or E3) will result in a recombinant virus that is viable and capable ofexpressing the antibody molecule in infected hosts. (e.g., see Logan etal., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:355-359 (1984)). Specific initiationsignals may also be required for efficient translation of insertedantibody coding sequences. These signals include the ATG initiationcodon and adjacent sequences. Furthermore, the initiation codon must bein phase with the reading frame of the desired coding sequence to ensuretranslation of the entire insert. These exogenous translational controlsignals and initiation codons can be of a variety of origins, bothnatural and synthetic. The efficiency of expression may be enhanced bythe inclusion of appropriate transcription enhancer elements,transcription terminators, etc. (see Bitter et al., Meth. Enzymol.,153:516-544 (1987)).

In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates theexpression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the geneproduct in the specific fashion desired. Such modifications (e.g.,glycosylation) and processing (e.g., cleavage) of protein products maybe important for the function of the protein. Different host cells havecharacteristic and specific mechanisms for the post-translationalprocessing and modification of proteins and gene products. Appropriatecell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the correctmodification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. To thisend, eukaryotic host cells which possess the cellular machinery forproper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, andphosphorylation of the gene product may be used. Such mammalian hostcells include but are not limited to CHO, VERY, BHK, Hela, COS, MDCK,293, 3T3, WI38, and in particular, breast cancer cell lines such as, forexample, BT483, Hs578T, HTB2, BT20 and T47D, and normal mammary glandcell line such as, for example, CRL7030 and Hs578Bst.

For long-term, high-yield production of recombinant proteins, stableexpression is preferred. For example, cell lines which stably expressthe anti-CTLA4 antibody molecule may be engineered. Rather than usingexpression vectors which contain viral origins of replication, hostcells can be transformed with DNA controlled by appropriate expressioncontrol elements (e.g., promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcriptionterminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.), and a selectable marker.Following the introduction of the foreign DNA, engineered cells may beallowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media, and then are switchedto a selective media. The selectable marker in the recombinant plasmidconfers resistance to the selection and allows cells to stably integratethe plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci which in turncan be cloned and expanded into cell lines. This method mayadvantageously be used to engineer cell lines which express the antibodymolecule. Such engineered cell lines may be particularly useful inscreening and evaluation of compounds that interact directly orindirectly with the anti-CTLA4 antibody molecule.

A number of selection systems may be used, including but not limited tothe herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler et al., Cell, 11:223(1977)), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska etal., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 48:202 (1992)), and adeninephosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy et al., Cell, 22:817 (1980)) genes canbe employed in tk−, hgprt− or aprt− cells, respectively. Also,antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for thefollowing genes: dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigleret al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:357 (1980); O'Hare et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78:1527 (1981)); gpt, which confers resistance tomycophenolic acid (Mulligan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78:2072(1981)); neo, which confers resistance to the aminoglycoside G-418Clinical Pharmacy, 12(7):488-505 (1993); Wu et al., Biotherapy, 3:87-95(1991); Tolstoshev, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol., 32:573-596 (1993);Mulligan, Science, 260:926-932 (1993); and Morgan et al., Ann. Rev.Biochem., 62:191-217 (1993); TIB TECH, 11(5):155-215 (May 1993)); andhygro, which confers resistance to hygromycin (Santerre et al., Gene,30:147 (1984)). Methods commonly known in the art of recombinant DNAtechnology may be routinely applied to select the desired recombinantclone, and such methods are described, for example, in Ausubel et al.,eds., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, NY(1993); Kriegler, Gene Transfer and Expression, A Laboratory Manual,Stockton Press, NY (1990); and in Chapters 12 and 13, Dracopoli et al.,eds., Current Protocols in Human Genetics, John Wiley & Sons, NY (1994);Colberre-Garapin et al., J. Mol. Biol., 150:1 (1981), which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

The expression levels of an anti-CTLA4 antibody molecule can beincreased by vector amplification (for a review, see Bebbington et al.,“The use of vectors based on gene amplification for the expression ofcloned genes in mammalian cells” in DNA Cloning, Vol. 3, Academic Press,NY (1987)). When a marker in the vector system expressing antibody isamplifiable, increase in the level of inhibitor present in culture ofhost cell will increase the number of copies of the marker gene. Sincethe amplified region is associated with the antibody gene, production ofthe antibody will also increase (Crouse et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 3:257(1983)).

The host cell may be co-transfected with two expression vectors, thefirst vector encoding a heavy chain derived polypeptide and the secondvector encoding a light chain derived polypeptide. The two vectors maycontain identical selectable markers which enable equal expression ofheavy and light chain polypeptides. Alternatively, a single vector maybe used which encodes, and is capable of expressing, both heavy andlight chain polypeptides. In such situations, the light chain should beplaced before the heavy chain to avoid an excess of toxic free heavychain (Proudfoot, Nature, 322:52 (1986); Kohler, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA, 77:2197 (1980)). The coding sequences for the heavy and lightchains may comprise cDNA or genomic DNA.

Once an antibody molecule of the invention has been produced by ananimal, chemically synthesized, or recombinantly expressed, it may bepurified by any method known in the art for purification of animmunoglobulin molecule, for example, by chromatography (e.g., ionexchange, affinity, particularly by affinity for the specific antigenafter Protein A, and sizing column chromatography), centrifugation,differential solubility, or by any other standard technique for thepurification of proteins. In addition, the anti-CTLA4 antibodies orfragments thereof can be fused to heterologous polypeptide sequencesdescribed herein or otherwise known in the art, to facilitatepurification.

The present invention further includes compositions comprisingpolypeptides or conjugated to anti-CTLA4 antibody domains other than thevariable regions. For example, the polypeptides may be fused orconjugated to an antibody Fc region, or portion thereof. The anti-CTLA4antibody portion fused to a polypeptide may comprise the constantregion, hinge region, CH1 domain, CH2 domain, and CH3 domain or anycombination of whole domains or portions thereof. The polypeptides mayalso be fused or conjugated to the above antibody portions to formmultimers. For example, Fc portions fused to the polypeptides of thepresent invention can form dimers through disulfide bonding between theFc portions. Higher multimeric forms can be made by fusing thepolypeptides to portions of IgA and IgM. Methods for fusing orconjugating the polypeptides of the present invention to antibodyportions are known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,336,603,5,622,929, 5,359,046, 5,349,053, 5,447,851, and 5,112,946; EP 307,434;EP 367,166; PCT Publication Nos. WO 96/04388 and WO 91/06570; Ashkenaziet al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:10535-10539 (1991); Zheng et al.,J. Immunol., 154:5590-5600 (1995); and Vil et al., Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. USA, 89:11337-11341 (1992) (said references incorporated byreference in their entireties).

Further, an anti-CTLA4 antibody or fragment thereof may be conjugated toa therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, e.g., a cytostatic orcytocidal agent, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion, e.g.,alpha-emitters such as, for example, 213Bi. A cytotoxin or cytotoxicagent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples includepaclitaxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine,mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin,doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone,mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids,procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogsor homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limitedto, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine,6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylatingagents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan,carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan,dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamineplatinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin(formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin(formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)),and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a givenbiological response, the therapeutic agent or drug moiety is not to beconstrued as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. Forexample, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing adesired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, atoxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin;a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, α-interferon, β-interferon,nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogenactivator, an apoptotic agent, e.g., TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, AIM I (See PCTPublication No. WO 97/33899), AIM II (See PCT Publication No. WO97/34911), Fas Ligand (Takahashi et al., Int. Immunol., 6:1567-1574(1994)), VEGI (See PCT Publication No. WO 99/23105), a thrombotic agentor an anti-angiogenic agent, e.g., angiostatin or endostatin; or,biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines,interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”),granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocytecolony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies arewell known, see, e.g., Amon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies forImmunotargeting of Drugs in Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodiesand Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al., eds., pp. 243-256, Alan R. Liss,Inc. (1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies for Drug Delivery”, inControlled Drug Delivery, 2nd Ed., Robinson et al., eds., pp. 623-653,Marcel Dekker, Inc. (1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers of CytotoxicAgents in Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84:Biological and Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al., eds., pp. 475-506(1985); “Analysis, Results, and Future Prospective of the TherapeuticUse of Radiolabeled Antibody in Cancer Therapy”, in MonoclonalAntibodies for Cancer Detection and Therapy, Baldwin et al., eds., pp.303-316, Academic Press (1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation andCytotoxic Properties of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev.,62:119-158 (1982).

Alternatively, an anti-CTLA4 antibody can be conjugated to a secondantibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal inU.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980, which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

An anti-CTLA4 antibody, with or without a therapeutic moiety conjugatedto it, administered alone or in combination with cytotoxic factor(s)and/or cytokine(s) can be used as a therapeutic.

The present invention also encompasses the creation of syntheticantibodies directed against the polypeptides of the present invention.One example of synthetic antibodies is described in Radrizzani, M., etal., Medicina (Aires), 59(6):753-758, (1999)). Recently, a new class ofsynthetic antibodies has been described and are referred to asmolecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) (Semorex, Inc.). Antibodies,peptides, and enzymes are often used as molecular recognition elementsin chemical and biological sensors. However, their lack of stability andsignal transduction mechanisms limits their use as sensing devices.Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are capable of mimicking thefunction of biological receptors but with less stability constraints.Such polymers provide high sensitivity and selectivity while maintainingexcellent thermal and mechanical stability. MIPs have the ability tobind to small molecules and to target molecules such as organics andproteins' with equal or greater potency than that of natural antibodies.These “super” MIPs have higher affinities for their target and thusrequire lower concentrations for efficacious binding.

During synthesis, the MIPs are imprinted so as to have complementarysize, shape, charge and functional groups of the selected target byusing the target molecule itself (such as a polypeptide, antibody,etc.), or a substance having a very similar structure, as its “print” or“template.” MIPs can be derivatized with the same reagents afforded toantibodies. For example, fluorescent ‘super’ MIPs can be coated ontobeads or wells for use in highly sensitive separations or assays, or foruse in high throughput screening of proteins.

A number of methods may be employed to create MIPs to a specificreceptor, ligand, polypeptide, peptide, organic molecule. Severalpreferred methods are described by Esteban et al. in J. Anal., Chem.,370(7):795-802 (2001), which is hereby incorporated herein by referencein its entirety in addition to any references cited therein. Additionalmethods are known in the art and are encompassed by the presentinvention, such as for example, Hart, B. R. et al., J. Am. Chem, Soc.,123(9):2072-2073 (2001); and Quaglia, M. et al., J. Am. Chem, Soc.,123(10):2146-2154 (2001); which are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety herein.

Antisense oligonucleotides may be single or double stranded. Doublestranded. RNA's may be designed based upon the teachings of Paddison etal., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 99:1443-1448 (2002); and PCT PublicationNos. WO 01/29058, and WO 99/32619; which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

Double stranded RNA may also take the form of an RNA inhibitor (“RNAi”)such that they are competent for RNA interference. For example,anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules may take the form of the molecules describedby Mello and Fire in PCT Publication Nos. WO 1999/032619 and WO2001/029058; U.S. Publication Nos. 2003/0051263, 2003/0055020,2003/0056235, 2004/265839, 2005/0100913, 2006/0024798, 2008/0050342,2008/0081373, 2008/0248576, and 2008/055443; and/or U.S. Pat. Nos.6,506,559, 7,282,564, 7,538,095, and 7,560,438. The teachings of thesepatent and patent applications are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

For example, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules may be double stranded RNA,and between about 25 to 400 nucleotides in length, and complementary tothe encoding nucleotide sequence of CTLA4. Such RNAi molecules may beabout 20, about 25, about 30, about 35, about 45, and about 50nucleotides in length. In this context, the term “about” is construed tobe about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 nucleotides longer in either the 5′ or 3′direction, or both.

Alternatively, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the present inventionmay take the form be double stranded RNAi molecules described byKreutzer in European Patent Nos. EP 1144639, and EP 1214945. Theteachings of these patent and patent applications are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Specifically, theanti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the present invention may be doublestranded RNA that is complementary to the coding region of CTLA4, and isbetween about 15 to about 49 nucleotides in length, and preferablybetween about 15 to about 21 nucleotides in length. In this context, theterm “about” is construed to be about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10nucleotides longer in either the 5′ or 3′ direction, or both. Suchanti-CTLA-4 molecules can be stabilized by chemical linkage of thesingle RNA strands.

Alternatively, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the present inventionmay take the form be double stranded RNAi molecules described by Tuschlin European Patent No. EP 1309726. The teachings of these patent andpatent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety. Specifically, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the presentinvention may be double stranded RNA that is complementary to the codingregion of CTLA4, and is between about 21 to about 23 nucleotides inlength, and are either blunt ended or contain either one or moreoverhangs on the 5′ end or 3′ end of one or both of the strands witheach overhang being about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more nucleotides inlength. The ends of each strand may be modified by phosphorylation,hydroxylation, or other modifications. In addition, the internucleotidelinkages of one or more of the nucleotides may be modified, and maycontain 2′-OH. In this context, the term “about” is construed to beabout 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 nucleotides longer in either the5′ or 3′ direction, or both. Such anti-CTLA-4 molecules can bestabilized by chemical linkage of the single RNA strands.

Alternatively, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the present inventionmay take the form be double stranded RNAi molecules described by Tuschlin U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,056,704 and 7,078,196. The teachings of these patentand patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety. Specifically, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of thepresent invention may be double stranded RNA that is complementary tothe coding region of CTLA4, and is between about 19 to about 25nucleotides in length, and are either blunt ended or contain either oneor more overhangs on the 5′ end or 3′ end of one or both of the strandswith each overhang being about 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or more nucleotides inlength. The ends of each strand may be modified by phosphorylation,hydroxylation, or other modifications. In addition, the internucleotidelinkages of one or more of the nucleotides may be modified, and maycontain 2′-OH. In this context, the term “about” is construed to beabout 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 nucleotides longer in either the5′ or 3′ direction, or both. Such anti-CTLA-4 molecules can bestabilized by chemical linkage of the single RNA strands.

Additionally, the anti-CTLA4 RNAi molecules of the present invention maytake the form be RNA molecules described by Crooke in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,898,031, 6,107,094, 7,432,249, and 7,432,250, and European ApplicationNo. EP 0928290. The teachings of these patent and patent applicationsare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.Specifically, the anti-CTLA4 molecules may be single stranded RNA,containing a first segment having at least one ribofuranosyl nucleosidesubunit which is modified to improve the binding affinity of saidcompound to the preselected RNA target when compared to the bindingaffinity of an unmodified oligoribonucleotide to the RNA target; and asecond segment comprising at least four consecutive ribofuranosylnucleoside subunits having 2′-hydroxyl moieties thereon; said nucleosidesubunits of said oligomeric compound being connected by internucleosidelinkages which are modified to stabilize said linkages from degradationas compared to phosphodiester linkages. Preferably, such RNA moleculesare about 15 to 25 nucleotides in length, or about 17 to about 20nucleotides in length. Preferably such molecules are competent toactivate a double-stranded RNAse enzyme to effect cleavage of CTLA4 RNA.In this context, the term “about” is construed to be about 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 nucleotides longer in either the 5′ or 3′direction, or both. Such anti-CTLA-4 molecules can be stabilized bychemical linkage of the single RNA strands.

SiRNA reagents are specifically contemplated by the present invention.Such reagents are useful for inhibiting expression of thepolynucleotides of the present invention and may have therapeuticefficacy. Several methods are known in the art for the therapeutictreatment of disorders by the administration of siRNA reagents. One suchmethod is described by Tiscornia et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,100(4):1844-1848 (2003)); WO 04/09769, filed Jul. 18, 2003; and Reich,S. J. et al., Mol. Vis., 9:210-216 (May 30, 2003), which areincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In order to facilitate a further understanding of the invention, thefollowing examples are presented primarily for the purpose ofillustrating more specific details thereof. The scope of the inventionshould not be deemed limited by the examples, but to encompass theentire subject matter defined by the Claims.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Method of Assessing the Effect of the Combination ofa Protein Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor with a Co-Stimulatory PathwayModulator on Tumor Growh in Three Murine Tumor Models

The effect of dasatinib on immune function has been the subject ofrecent investigations. Some reports demonstrated that in vitro,dasatinib (concentrations of 10-50 nM), inhibits T-cell function, asmeasured by inhibition of cytokine secretion and degranulation (Weischelet al., 2008) which was postulated to be the result of Lck inhibition.Other reports demonstrated that dasatinib produced blockade of T-cellactivation (Schade et al., 2007). However, treatment with dasatinibmight also have immunomodulatory effects based on its potent inhibitionof STAT3, which may result in maturation of dendritic cells andmodulation of T-cell responses (Yu H. et al., 2007), and thedifferential sensitivity of T effectors and T regulatory cells toinhibition of T-cell signaling (Siggs et al., 2007). Furthermore, largegranular lymphocytes have been detected in pleural effusions frompatients treated with dasatinib, and of interest, all of these patientshad at least one HLA-A2 allele (Mustojski et al., 2008). It ishypothesized that LGL infiltration might be the result ofimmunostimulation. Thus, there was an interest in determining whether apotentiation of an antitumor immune response could be achieved by thecombination of a CTLA-4 blocking mAb and dasatinib in models wheredasatinib had minimal effect.

Efficacy studies were conducted in 3 models: SAIN fibrosarcoma, CT26colon carcinoma and M109 lung carcinoma. The first 2 models aresensitive to the effect of CTLA-4 blockade, whereas dasatinib showedmodest antitumor activity in the SA1N model but minimal activity againstthe CT 26 and M109 models. As shown in FIG. 1A-1B and FIG. 2 concurrenttreatment with CTLA-4 mAb+dasatinib resulted in synergistic effects.Synergy was observed when dasatinib was administered at 30 mg/kg eitheron a daily dosing regimen or following an intermittent schedule (5 dayson/2 days off). No synergy was seen in the M109 tumor model.

Additional studies were conducted in the CT26 tumor model to determinewhether the effect of the combination was due to an expansion ofcytotoxic T cells and to determine whether the treatments were alteringthe composition of the immune cells in the tumor-draining lymph nodes.Increased cytolytic activity was observed in animals treated with thecombination treatment compared to animals treated with single treatments(FIG. 3A-3C). Additionally, when the ratio of T effector cells/Tregulatory cells (suppressor population) was measured, the combinationtreatment and the dasatinib-treated group showed an enhanced ratio,indicating a higher number of T effector cells over T regulatory cells.Based on the results obtained in the CT-26 model it is likely thataddition of dasatinib to CTLA-4 therapy reduces the number of Tregulatory cells while expanding the percentage of T effector cellsresulting in an enhancement of the antitumor immune response elicited byanti-CTLA-4 monotherapy.

Example 2 Method of Assessing the Effect of the Combination of a ProteinTyrosine Kinase Inhibitor with a Co-Stimulatory Pathway Modulator onTumor Growh in a P815 Mastocytoma Murine Tumor Model

Concurrent treatment with SPRYCEL® and CTLA-4 antibody was assessed in aP815 mastocytoma murine tumor model. The methods utilized wereessentially as outlined in Example 1 herein.

SPRYCEL® showed modest antitumor activity in the P815 model. As shown inFIG. 5, concurrent treatment with CTLA-4 mAb SPRYCEL® resulted insynergistic effects. Synergy was observed when SPRYCEL® was administeredat 30 mg/kg either on a daily dosing regimen or following anintermittent schedule (5 days on/2 days off).

These results were consistent with the results observed in the SAIN andCT26 tumor models (see FIGS. 1A-B and 2), and confirms theadministration of a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor in combinationwith a CTLA-4 antibody results in synergistic reduction in tumorproliferation.

Example 3 Method of Assessing the Antitumor Activity of CytotoxicT-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) Blockade Alone or Combined withPaclitaxel (Pac), Etoposide (Eto), or Gemcitabine (Gem) in Murine Models

To determine if the antitumor activity of an anti-CTLA-4 monoclonalantibody (CTLA-4 mAb) is synergized or inhibited by the addition ofchemotherapeutic agents, CTLA-4 mAb was evaluated alone and incombination with Pac, Eto, or Gem in murine tumor models. M109 lungcarcinoma, SA1N fibrosarcoma, and CT26 colon carcinoma models werechosen based on different sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agents andCTLA-4 blockade.

All compounds were tested at their optimal dose and schedule. When usedin combination, CTLA-4 mAb was initiated one day after the first dose ofchemotherapy. Percent tumor growth inhibition and number of days toreach target tumor size were used to evaluate efficacy. Antitumoractivity was scored as: complete regression (CR; non-palpable tumor for≧2 assessments) or partial regression (PR; 50% reduction in tumor volumefor ≧2 assessments). Synergy was defined as antitumor activitysignificantly superior (p<0.05) to the activity of monotherapy with eachagent.

In the M109 subcutaneous tumor model, which is insensitive to CTLA-4blockade and modestly sensitive to Pac, Eto, and Gem, borderline synergywas evident with the combination of CTLA-4 mAb and Pac, whereas noeffect was observed with Eto. Gem monotherapy did not producesignificant M109 antitumor activity; however, combining Gem with CTLA-4mAb resulted in synergy. In the M109 lung metastasis model, synergy wasdetected for CTLA-4 mAb combined with Eto, borderline synergy was foundwith Gem, and Pac did not enhance activity.

SA1N fibrosarcoma is sensitive to CTLA-4 blockade and all threechemotherapies. Pac, Eto, and Gem enhanced the activity of CTLA-4 mAb inthis model, but synergy was only observed with Eto. CTLA-4 mAb and Pacwere ineffective against established CT26 colon carcinoma tumors, butsynergistic when the tumor burden was minimal. Both Eto and Gem wereeffective as single agents in this model and the activity of both wassignificantly synergized by CTLA-4 mAb.

In summary, addition of CTLA-4 mAb to Eto, Gem, or Pac resulted inmodel-dependent synergistic activities. Synergy was observed regardlessof the immunogenicity of the tumor and only when at least one of thetherapies was active. All combination regimens were well-tolerated andthe chemotherapies did not appear to inhibit CTLA-4 mAb activity in theSAIN tumor model. Of particular importance, synergy was observed intumors unresponsive to CTLA-4 mAb alone, suggesting that thechemotherapeutic agents might have induced immunogenic cell death. Thesefindings provide support for the evaluation of chemoimmunotherapycombinations in clinical trials. Data for combinations in each murinemodel are outlined individually in the following examples.

Example 4 Method of Assessing the Antitumor Activity of CytotoxicT-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) Blockade Alone or Combined withPaclitaxel (Pac), Etoposide (Eto), or Gemcitabine (Gem) in aSubcutaneous M109 Murine Tumor Model

The affect of Paclitaxel, Etoposide and Gemcitabine in combination withCTLA-4 blockage was assessed in a subcutaneous M109 lung carcinoma tumormodel to establish the efficacy of each treatment combination.

M109 tumors are insensitive to CTLA-4 blockade and modestly sensitive toPaclitaxel, Etoposide and Gemcitabine. Combination of CTLA-4 Paclitaxelproduced enhanced antitumor activity compared to each agent alone, whileno enhancement was seen with Etoposide. On the other hand, even thoughGemcitabine as single agent did not produce significant antitumoractivity, Gemcitabine plus CTLA-4 mAb produced synergistic effects(Table 1).

TABLE 1 Antitumor Activity of CTLA-4 mAb in Combination with Paclitaxel,Etoposide and Gemcitabine in the M109 Lung Carcinoma Subcutaneous TumorModel Dose Schedule % TGI T-C Treatment (mg/kg) (Study Days) (Average)(1000 mm³) PR CR Outcome CTLA-4 mAb 20 8, 12, 16 0 0 0 0 (clone UC10)Paclitaxel 24 7, 11, 15 45 5 0 0 Paclitaxel + 24 7, 11, 15 62 8 0 0Borderline CTLA-4 mAb 20 8, 12, 16 synergy Etoposide 50 7, 14, 21 59 9 00 Etoposide + 50 7, 14, 21 65 11 0 0 CTLA-4 mAb 20 8, 12, 16 Gemcitabine120 7, 11, 15 32 2.2 0 0 Gemcitabine + 120 14, 18, 22 62 11 0 0 SynergyCTLA-4 mAb 20 8, 12, 16 TVDT = 5.4 days

Example 5 Method of Assessing the Antitumor Activity of CytotoxicT-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) Blockade Alone or Combined withPaclitaxel (Pac), Etoposide (Eto), or Gemcitabine (Gem) in anExperimental Lung Metastatis M109 Murine Tumor Model

The affect of Paclitaxel, Etoposide and Gemcitabine in combination withCTLA-4 blockage was assessed in an experimental M109 lung metastasistumor model to establish the efficacy of each treatment combination.

In the M019 lung metastasis model, Etoposide and CTLA-4 mAb showedsynergistic activity while combination with Gemcitabine was borderlinesynergistic (Table 2).

TABLE 2 Effect of CTLA-4 mAb in combination with chemotherapeutic agentsin the M019 lung carcinoma model of experimental pulmonary metastasisDose Schedule Median Survival Combination (mg/kg) (Study Days) Time(days) Effect Control vehicle 32 CTLA-4 mAb 20 5, 9, 13 33 Gemcitabine150 4, 8, 12 42 Gemcitabine + 150 4, 8, 12 47 Borderline CTLA-4 mAb 205, 9, 13 synergy Etoposide 50  4, 11, 18 34 Etoposide + 50  4, 11, 18 43Synergy CTLA-4 mAb 20 5, 9, 13 Paclitaxel 24 4, 8, 12 38 Paclitaxel + 244, 8, 12 39 CTLA-4 mAb 20 5, 9, 13

Example 6 Method of Assessing the Antitumor Activity of CytotoxicT-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) Blockade Alone or Combined withPaclitaxel (Pac), Etoposide (Eto), or Gemcitabine (Gem) in an SA1NFibrosarcoma Subcutaneous Murine Tumor Model

The affect of Paclitaxel, Etoposide and Gemcitabine in combination withCTLA-4 blockage was assessed in an SA1N fibrosarcoma subcutaneous murinetumor model to establish the efficacy of each treatment combination.

SA1N is an immunogenic tumor line sensitive to CTLA-4 mAb andchemotherapy. While the 3 chemotherapeutic agents tested enhanced theactivity of CTLA-4 mAb, synergy was only observed with Etoposide (Table3).

TABLE 3 Antitumor Activity of CTLA-4 mAb in Combination with Paclitaxel,Etoposide and Gemcitabine in the SA1N Fibrosarcoma Subcutaneous TumorModel % TGI Dose Schedule (Average D T-C Treatment (mg/kg) (Study Days)20-48) (1000 mm³) PR CR Outcome CTLA-4 mAb 10 15, 19, 23 81 23 1/8 1/8(clone UC10) Paclitaxel 24 14, 18, 22 65 13 0/8 0/8 Paclitaxel + 24 14,18, 22 97 29 2/8 1/8 CTLA-4 mAb 10 15, 19, 23 Etoposide 40 14, 21, 28 8814 1/8 0/8 Etoposide + 40 14, 21, 28 112 >50 2/7 5/7 Synergy CTLA-4 mAb10 15, 19, 23 Gemcitabine 120 14, 18, 22 68 11 0/8 0/8 Gemcitabine + 12014, 18, 22 94 23 0/7 2/7 CTLA-4 mAb 10 15, 19, 23 TVDT = 8.2 (1000 mm3)

Example 7 Method of Assessing the Antitumor Activity of CytotoxicT-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) Blockade Alone or Combined withPaclitaxel (Pac), Etoposide (Eto), or Gemcitabine (Gem) in a CT26 ColonCarcinoma Murine Tumor Model

The affect of Paclitaxel, Etoposide and Gemcitabine in combination withCTLA-4 blockage was assessed in an CT26 colon carcinoma murine tumormodel to establish the efficacy of each treatment combination.

CTLA-4 and Paclitaxel are ineffective therapies against CT26 coloncarcinoma tumors; their combination was ineffective against establishedtumors, but synergistic against minimal tumor burden. As shown in Table4, both Etoposide and Gemcitabine were effective as single agents, buttheir activity was significantly potentiated by the addition of CTL-4mAb.

TABLE 4 Antitumor Activity of CTLA-4 mAb in Combination with Paclitaxel,Etoposide and Gemcitabine in the CT26 Colon carcinoma Subcutaneous TumorModel Dose Schedule % TGI T-C Treatment (mg/kg) (Study Days) (Average)(1000 mm³) PR CR Outcome CTLA-4 mAb 20 9, 13, 17 5 0 0/8 0/8 (cloneUC10) Paclitaxel 24 8, 12, 16 0 0 0/8 0/8 Paclitaxel + 24 8, 12, 16 0 10/8 1/8 CTLA-4 mAb 20 9, 13, 17 Etoposide 50 8, 15, 22 66 11 0/8 1/8Etoposide + 50 8, 15, 22 91 >50 1/8 4/8 Synergy CTLA-4 mAb 20 9, 13, 17Gemcitabine 120 8, 12, 16 102 12 0/8 2/8 Gemcitabine + 120 8, 12, 16112 >50 1/8 5/8 Synergy CTLA-4 mAb 20 9, 13, 17

In summary, addition of CTLA-4 mAb to chemotherapeutic agents such asEtoposide, Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel, resulted in synergistic activitysupporting the use of chemoimmunotherapy combinations in clinicaltrials. All the combination regimens were well tolerated. Of note,synergy was observed in tumors that did not respond to CTLA-4 alonesuggesting that the chemotherapeutic agents might have inducedimmunogenic cell death.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments specificallydescribed above, but is capable of variation and modification withoutdeparture from the scope of the appended Claims.

It will be clear that the invention may be practiced otherwise than asparticularly described in the foregoing description and examples.Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings and, therefore, are within thescope of the appended. Claims. The entire disclosure of each documentcited (including patents, patent applications, journal articles,abstracts, laboratory manuals, books, GENBANK® Accession numbers,SWISS-PROT® Accession numbers, or other disclosures) in the Backgroundof the Invention, Detailed Description, Brief Description of theFigures, and Examples is hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety. Further, the hard copy of the Sequence Listing submittedherewith, in addition to its corresponding Computer Readable Form, areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A method for the treatment of cancer, comprisingthe administration to a mammal in need thereof a synergistic,therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CTLA-4 antibody with achemotherapeutic agent, wherein said chemotherapeutic agent is a DNAdouble strand break inducing agent.
 16. The method according to claim15, wherein said chemotherapeutic agent is a topoisomerase II inhibitor.17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said chemotherapeuticagent is 4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin9-[4,6-O—(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside], 4′-(dihydrogen phosphate),or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, or hydrate thereof. 18.The method according to claim 15, wherein said anti-CTLA-4 antibody isselected from the group consisting of: ipilimumab and tremelimumab. 19.The method according to claim 15, wherein said anti-CTLA-4 antibody isipilimumab.
 20. The method according to claim 15, wherein saidanti-CTLA-4 antibody is tremelimumab.
 21. The method according to claim15, wherein said cancer is a solid tumor.
 22. The method according toclaim 21, wherein said solid tumor is selected from the group consistingof: lung cancer, sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, pancreatic cancer, prostatecancer, and colon cancer.
 23. The method according to claim 15, whereinsaid method is for the treatment of a tumor refractory to saidchemotherapeutic agent.
 24. The method according to claim 15, whereinsaid chemotherapeutic agent is administered before the administration ofsaid anti-CTLA4 antibody.
 25. The method according to claim 15, whereinsaid chemotherapeutic agent is administered essentially simultaneouslywith the administration of said anti-CTLA4 antibody.
 26. The methodaccording to claim 15, wherein said cancer treatment further comprisesan anti-proliferative cytotoxic agent either alone or in combinationwith radiation therapy.
 27. The method according to claim 17, whereinsaid chemotherapeutic agent is administered at a dose of about 50 mg.28. The method according to claim 17, wherein said chemotherapeuticagent is administered at a dose equivalent to 100 mg etoposide.
 29. Themethod according to claim 15, wherein said chemotherapeutic agent isadministered daily.
 30. The method according to claim 15, wherein saidanti-CTLA4 antibody is administered about every three weeks.